Who Killed Tris Prior?
by Bridgetsfictiondaydreams
Summary: Five and a half years after Tris ranks first in initiation, she has a job in leadership, and a dream life in dauntless. She is surrounded by close friends, and she has been married for a little under a year to fellow dauntless prodigy Four. How is it that the seemingly perfect dauntless ended up dead in a dark alley in the factionless sector? Who killed Tris? Is she even dead?
1. Chapter 1

Summary

Five and a half years after Tris ranks first in initiation, she has a job in leadership, and a dream life in dauntless. She is surrounded by close friends, and she has been married for a little under a year to fellow dauntless prodigy Four. She is one of the most well liked people, and is considered an all around badass, all of the younger girls in dauntless aspire to be her. Life is perfect right? That is what everyone thought, but then how is it that she ended up dead in a dark alley in factionless in the early hours in the morning. Who killed the female dauntless prodigy? What secrets was she hiding? Is she even really dead?

Four used to be obsessed with going through his fear landscape, but he never considered what would happen if one of his worst fears came true. Now he is obsessed with finding out who killed his wife, and why they did it. He definitely never considered that the love of his life would have lied to him, but dauntless is changing, and people like Tris don't end up dead for no reason. The worst part is that he just doesn't feel like she is dead.

Vivianne Callow just wants out. At 16 years old, and about to choose the path that she will follow for the rest of her life, all she is certain about is that the life of academia and fake personalities is just not for her. She, and fellow Erudite rebel Jackson have decided to transfer, but they just cant decide where. To add to her troubles, Vivianne encounters a major and dangerous surprise in the days leading up to the choosing ceremony, that leaves her in a tail spin about where she should go. Also, she receives a proposition from an important Erudite on the day of the ceremony that leaves her wondering, who killed Tris Prior?


	2. Chapter 2

Prologue Four POV:

 _Six Months Ago_

 _01:12_

* * *

I woke to a small green florescent light and the high pitched beep of a pager. She was already sitting up in bed, checking the message that was displayed in the bright green font. She when to stand, but I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist to keep her close.

"Tris, what is it?" I said groggily, "It is one in the morning, what could possibly be going on at this time of night that a leader is needed?"

I knew that her job required her to leave the compound, hell she was hardly ever here. She was the only leader with initial training as a faction ambassador. The other leaders always say that is why she is the one that always has to travel to other factions, and deal with most of problems outside of the Dauntless compound. Personally, I think they use it as an excuse to send the youngest leader to do all of the jobs that no one else wants to do. But, if Tris doesn't care who am I to complain. She always says that she likes to get out and "see the city" anyway.

She turned toward me, eyes wide and eyebrows pulled together. She looked more aware than any human should after waking up from a deep sleep at one in the morning. Something was off, but my mind was too foggy to think about it.

She responded after a moment of thinking, "There is a fight going on in the factionlness sector near Erudite, and the noses are all hot and bothered by it" she gave a small smirk, but that worried look never left her eyes.

"I'm going to take Daryl down there to scare them off, and then I will probably fill out some paperwork, give a stupid, reassuring speech about how Dauntless will protect the city and they will no longer have to worry about loud noises, and I will catch a train back here in time to see Zeke or Uriah do something stupid at breakfast."

I felt a lazy smile creep onto my face, and I laughed. Five an a half years ago if someone would have told me that I would have a loving wife who was a kick-ass leader, and a large group of friends, I would have laughed in their face. I was happy in my life in Dauntless now. The faction was turning back to its roots thanks to Tris. She had convinced Max that teamwork needed to be a priority again, and that we should value brain power, rather than just being brutes and meatheads. All of my thoughts about leaving the faction had become a distant memory of an almost-very-bad decision.

I watched her put on a pair of pants, a sweatshirt, and begin to tie her boots. Once she rose again she turned to me an smiled. I pushed a few of her soft, blond locks behind her ears and stared into her grey eyes. She smiled, "I love you Tobias, see you soon." And with that I kissed her, my lips brushing up against hers as I said, "love you too."

All I heard was the soft click of the front door closing as I drifted back to sleep, totally forgetting to ask her to elaborate on what made her look so worried.

* * *

 _06:00_

This time I woke to a louder, more obnoxious, and consistently faster beeping. I waited for it to stop, but it just got louder and more frequent. "Tris…" I mumbled as I reached across the bed to turn it off. Then, I remembered the events of earlier this morning, almost as if I was recalling a dream, and I realized that the reason why the alarm was still going off is that the person who usually shuts if off was no longer in the building.

I rolled out of bed, got dressed in some workout clothes, and headed toward the training room. Hopefully that by the time I finished a workout, showered, and headed to the dinning hall, Tris would be there.

There were not many people milling around the compound at six in the morning. The Dauntless tended to be night owls rather than early birds, but that is why Tris and I always ended up spending time together in the early morning. This was a time before work, friends, and other distractions, it was the perfect time to be alone together.

I made it to the training room and began my normal routine, weights, punching bags, and then target practice, and if I was lucky and no one else had decided to use the training room yet, I could get in a little work with the knives. They were never my favorite, but Tris always seemed to enjoy watching me throw them more than she enjoyed watching me do any other activity, and I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy being stared at by my wife.

Today though my workout would be quick, I needed to talk to Tris, and ask her why she was so concerned this morning, and what exactly was going on at one in the morning. The more that I came to my senses throughout the morning the more questions I realized that I had. In the five years that she has held a faction ambassador/leader position, she has never received a page that early in the morning.

I shook it off and started to hit the punching bag at a steady rhythm. I would soon have the answers to my questions.

* * *

 _07:56 am_

I walked into the dinning hall expecting the first person that I saw to be Tris, but I seemed to see everyone else but her.

"Hey Four!" I turned to my left and saw Shauna waving me over to the table were she, Zeke, Uriah, Lynn, and Christina were sitting having breakfast. Marlene and Will were absent because they both worked night shifts at the Dauntless hospital. It was always fun to hear about their wild cases over breakfast in the morning. I have learned over the years here that the best things in Dauntless happen after dark.

"Where's Tris?" Christina asked while bouncing 9-month-old Lina on her lab. According to Will and Christina Lina was not planned, but as soon as she came into the world everyone in our friend group forgot about that and fell in love with her. She was an adorable little girl, who would someday be a beautiful woman. She had Christina's skin tone with Will's light eyes, her hair which was already long, thick, and curly, was a caramel color.

The biggest surprise about Lina though, is that her favorite person in our friend group was me.

It was not like I tried to make that happen it just did, and it freaked me out a little. I don't look very nice, nor did I talk to her in a baby voice like Shauna, or make funny faces at her like Zeke. I always tried to be as far away from her as possible. I don't really like small, fragile human beings. But, she always seemed to gravitate toward me, and she liked to play with my ears. I also have a theory she just pretends to like me to piss off her least favorite member of the group, Tris. I will never forget the time that Lina wrapped her little arms around my neck, and then proceeded to stare Tris down. Tris's expression of wide eyes and raised eyebrows afterwards was priceless.

Tris thinks that she is kissing up to me now so that I will rank her higher in initiation, and once Lina's undeveloped brain figures out that Tris is a leader she will begin to kiss up to her too. I laughed for a straight half an hour at that idea.

I looked up an responded to Christina, "No. I was hoping that she would be here. She had to go and take care of something at factionless at one this morning."

Zeke proceeded to spit out this orange juice, finally looking alive, and exclaimed, "One in the morning? Do the factionless sleep, or do they only cause trouble?"

Lynn chimed in, "Why the hell is a leader like Tris the one that has to go. I mean can't they get someone who is a fence guard or something like that?" don't I think about that every single time that they force her to go do some meaningless task.

"Hey",said Shauna, "What makes you think I want that job. Maybe we should send someone who fights for entertainment in her spare time. I'm sure someone like that would be could at breaking up fights, and telling people to shut up." It was supposed to be a dig at Lynn, but it didn't help the original problem. Uriah pointed this out, "Then wouldn't Tris still have to go, I mean she is not a frequent visitor to the fights, but she would still be on that list."

Shauna came up with a better comeback, "Why don't they send the _current_ ambassador to the factions, hmm?"

"Shauna, sleep is the key to my beautiful features. How dare you suggest I sacrifice my good looks for some random fight in factionless." Uriah responded. This caused the entire table to burst into laughter, which in turn made Lina giggle, and that made the rest of them take their minds off of the original question "Where _is_ Tris?"

Everyone except me.

I looked up and my eyes landed on a large boy sitting at a table across the room eating a stack of waffles, Daryl. I got up from my seat, my breakfast and my friends momentarily forgotten, and I make my way over to him.

He senses me coming over and turns, his signature goofy smile on his face as he says, "Hey Four, how's it going! What do you need?"

Daryl might be the largest person in the compound, but unprovoked he is about as intimidating as a seven-year-old girl in a pink tutu. I think that part of his personality came from the 16 years that he spent in Amity. But, if he is angered or he is on a job, he could kill a person with one well aimed punch. He ranked third in his initiation class not based on his average simulation times or his number of fears, but because of the fact that it was physically impossible for the giant to lose a fight.

Tris liked to keep him around on the rare occasion that she wasn't intimidating enough and needed someone else to do the job. It gave me piece of mind to know that a fiercely loyal, 6-foot 10-inch man always had her back. Daryl would take a bullet for her, he has even said so.

"What was up at factualness this morning? Where is Tris?" I asked. Daryl proceeded to look at me as if I had three heads.

That was another thing about Daryl. He was the embodiment of a "dumb Dauntless".

"You know, one this morning, factionless, wimpy Erudite," I raised my eye brows and leaned toward him. He still looked at me as like I was crazy.

"Look bro, I was at a party all last night. Your girl gave me the day off today. I knew that I could go all night, so I decided to take advantage of that. If she had shown up at one in the morning I would have remembered." he paused, "That is one strange call. If she had come to me I would have advised her not to go, do you think she took someone else?"

I felt my stomach drop. Tris knew that Daryl wasn't going to go with her. Did she go by herself? Why would she tell me she was going to take Daryl if she gave him time off? What happened this morning? Where is she?

What the hell is going on?

I didn't even bother to answer Daryl's questions. I ran as fast as my feet could take me to the control room to find out where my wife is.

* * *

 _08:15_

A few years ago I would have been looking over my shoulder constantly to make sure that my supervisor was not going to catch me going through old video, and breaking the rules. Now I don't have to worry about that. I am the chief supervisor of all of city security. I make the rules now, so every once in a while I give myself license to break them. Now is one of those times.

I combed through the video until I found what I wanted. At 01:35 Tris got on a train headed toward the factionless sector. I watched the video of her sitting on the ground in the car, tapping her foot at a rapid pace.

At 01:57 she got off the train and walked into a sparsely lit alley. It began to be difficult to track her. She slipped in and out of the feed and the street lamp light. Finally at 02:04, she stopped in the edge of one of the lamp lights just inside the feed of one of the cameras, she checked her watch and waited. It was as if she was waiting for someone, and there was no fight going on that I could see.

Suddenly she jumps, startled, and turns to look at something just out side of the feed. She begins to talk. I wish that these cameras had audio; I make a mental note to fix that. It must have been a _someone_ if she is talking I realize. My heart starts to pound in my chest, my stomach is doing summersaults, and I have a very bad feeling.

Then a hand reaches out from the shadows and hits her in the stomach. Her face contorts in pain, and as the hand moves and she stumbles back into the lamp light. I see that she has a hand over her shirt, and the fabric is getting darker around her hand. Blood. A stab wound.

Then the screen flickers and shows snow. The time stamp says 02:13.

I frantically comb through the other video files, there are no other angles of this alley.

That is when I get up and I sprint.

 _No. No. NO! Not Tris, please no,_ is the only thing that is going through my mind as I run into the leadership offices.

I find myself at Max's door. It is open, there are older Dauntless, ambassadors from other factions, and the other Dauntless leaders. Eric is smirking at me, but Max looks at me like I am a ticking time bomb. I open my mouth to speak, but Max beats me to it.

"I guess it was only a matter of time before you got curious and checked the feed from this morning." he started, "We had to wait to make sure. You should know that we were hoping that it wouldn't be her. She was one of the greatest leaders, and most influential people in this faction, we needed to make sure it was really her before we went around announcing things, or even worse, before this sensitive information got into the wrong hands." I could feel my world beginning to fall apart piece be piece, slowly edging toward nothing. I knew the words that were coming next but I just could't make myself believe them.

"Four, I am deeply sorry to tell you that this morning at around 2 this morning, Tris was killed. Your wife is dead."

My head was pounding and all of a sudden my knees made contact with the floor and tears began to roll out of my eyes. One phrase was on repeat in my mind.

 _Your wife is dead._

* * *

 _2 days later_

 _14:45_

I end up looking over the chasm and listening to the rapids crash up against the rocks. I don't exactly remember how I got here, life has been a bit of a blur for the past 54 hours. I am on drink. . . I don't exactly know at this point. All I do know is that the drink I have is not strong enough, I need another preferably stronger one, and that the love of my life is dead.

 _Your wife is dead._

Those four words still on repeat in my head. The image of her bleeding out, alone in a dark alley, plays along with them. I am too deep in my thoughts that I don't hear Will approach until he is standing right next to me over looking the chasm.

"You didn't speak," is what he leads off with. I shrug my shoulders, but I don't turn to face him as I say, "I didn't know what to say," I pause, "and I don't really think that I am in any shape to be happily toasting to the "great, dauntless life" that my wife lead."

It was true. I do not think that I could even stand up straight with out this railing supporting me, let alone get up on a platform that would trigger my fear of heights, and pretend to be fine with this. It would take all of the self control I possess not to go up there and shoot everyone in the entire compound. Right about now though, I can feel what little self control I still had being surrendered to the bottle in my hand.

Will shrugs at that and takes a sip out of the bottle that he is holding, "Hey, at least you're here. Christina can't even get out of bed. Zeke, Uriah, Shauna, and Marlene are all sobbing uncontrollably down there. Even Lynn looks like she has been crying" he pauses, "It seems like the entire faction is under a trance of drink, cheer, and be somber."

I turn to look at him and I immediately regret it. Directly behind him is a screen that is showing a slide show of pictures, pictures of _her._ Pictures of her with Uriah climbing trees in Amity, pictures of her with Christina and Shauna laughing about something, and pictures of her with me. Those ones hurt worst of all. I try to focus on Will's face.

"I didn't think that the Dauntless knew how to be somber" I say. Will tilts his head a little, considering his reply. It takes him a minute, then he says, "I don't know if you understand how big her impact was on this faction. She made Dauntless, well, _Dauntless_ again. Most of the people who made it through initiation over the past 5 years are here and doing well because of her. She brought a whole new meaning to "ordinary acts of bravery" and she made the whole faction believe in it too." Will smiled and continued, "I think that she saved this faction from the likes of Eric and his counter parts. The people down there, especially the young and smart ones, see that. They want justice, not a party."

This made me think for a moment. I never knew that Will was this observant. I should have guessed though, his home faction would be a dead give away.

I gave a very small smile as I said, "So, you want justice. They want justice. Well, I want justice too." I meant every word that I said. I wanted justice for her and I wanted answers. I could see that Will had come to the same conclusion. I stuck out my hand in true Dauntless fashion, and he griped it with his own. As we shook hands I said, "Here's to getting justice and finding answers."

The first question to answer: Who Killed Tris Prior?

* * *

 **Authors Note:** Hi Guys! I'm Bridget and I am new to FanFiction, but I am really excited to be here sharing my little "daydream" ideas with you. Just a little about this story: This is a no war (not yet anyway) story that takes place 6 years after Tris's choosing ceremony. The prologue (above) is a flash back to provide a little background into the mystery of Tris's supposed death that happened 6 months before the present time. The story will mostly be told from the POV of my OC Vivianne (who will appear in chapter 1), with a few chapters written in the POV of other characters (like Four), and a few from an omniscient narrator. I do have the story roughly planned out to the end. Also, fair warning that my updates will be sporadic. I am a student-athlete who is very busy, but I will try to update as often was I can. Finally as I said before I am new to FanFiction and writing in this format. If there is anything that you would like me to know that would make my story easier to read please let me know! (thanks to Wrenlovesreading for the formatting tip:) ). Other than that, feel free to provide constructive criticism, read my bio, say hi, or anything else. I hope that you enjoy my story!

 **-Bridget**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 1

Vivianne POV

 _13:23_

I would say that I'm surprised that the advanced math teacher actually taught a lesson during the shortened period before the aptitude test, but honestly I'm not. No one else taught anything, not even the advanced physics teacher. It was to good to be true to think that Mrs. Cahill would pass up the opportunity to teach a short calculus lesson.

It is not like I was paying any attention though. What was the point, I know that I am probably not going to be tested on this lesson. Well, I guess that depends on what the aptitude test tells me, if I wind up placed back in the land of academia I might actually have to know this stuff. That is what I am afraid of. Not so much the subject, but the fact that the aptitude test might tell me that I truly belong in Erudite. That makes me want to puke all over the workbook in front of me.

I hated it here. I hated all of the fake people with greed in their hearts and power on their minds. I liked to learn just to know a fact, not to be tested and judged on my ability to absorb information at a rapid pace. I wanted friends based off of my personality, not based off of the fact that I have the highest scores in all of the advanced classes. I wanted my parents to love me not because of my accomplishments in the classroom, but rather just because they are my parents. Is that really too much to ask for?

The bell rang, bringing me out of my thoughts. I checked my watch, in exactly thirty-four minutes and twenty-seven seconds, every sixteen-year-old in the city will take turns entering one of six secretive rooms to take a test that will decide their future, and I would be one of them. No big deal though.

I picked up my books, shoved them in my backpack, and hurried toward the exit. I needed to talk with Jackson before the test. I knew that he would be coming from a faction history classroom down the hall, so I had to reach him quickly before the hallway was filled with people and I would barely be able to move three inches to my left or my right, let alone be able to see above everyone else.

Jackson Aarons has been my best friend since preschool. Growing up in Erudite we both never seemed to fit in, and even four-year-old us some how knew that we were different from the others around us. We were always the rebels. We would sneak out at night, and walk around the dark city, observing the stars. We once graffitied an abandoned building with some spray paint that we found beside the train tracks. Another time, we were able to sneak into the food and drink supply that went from Amity to Dauntless, and we smuggled out two bottles of alcohol. That was not our brightest idea, considering that even though we were not formally punished the headaches that we had the next morning were enough.

I was about three doors down from the faction history classroom when I saw a tall, lanky, dark-skinned boy in a sweater-vest and dress pants walk out of the classroom. I was bout to call out his name when I heard someone call out my own in a shrill bit girly sing-song voice, "Vivianne!"

I cursed under my breath and began to increase my pace, I needed to make it to Jackson before _she_ could spot me. Cordelia Kronin would never be caught dead talking to someone who was not in all advanced classes and who did not hold a grade point average in the top ten for our year. Jackson was not on either of those lists. It truly is a shame that I am. As long as I can get to him and start a conversation, she will no longer want to associate with me for today.

Too bad that I have short legs, and the superficial social pariah is really good at walking in those three-inch heels. I felt someone grab my sleeve to hold me in place. My eyes went to the perfectly manicured hand, and then floated up to her blue eyes framed by a pair of black glasses. She gave me one of her fake smiles that made her eyes crinkle too much and she said, "Vivianne Callow, just the person that I wanted to talk to!"

"Why?" was my only response. Cordelia wanted something, and I would rather her just come out and say it rather than tip-toe around the subject for God knows how long.

Cordelia glanced to her left just as her little minion, Kaleigh, came walking up beside her. I never had a problem with Kaleigh, that was until she decided to befriend Cordelia. Kaleigh was very smart, but she was like the rest of the Erudite, she wanted power, and she thought that the only way to get that was to become a permanent attachment to Ms. Popular, and surrender her ability to have independent thoughts.

Cordelia says, "We were wondering what your thoughts are on the aptitude test. Are you nervous?"

I felt like saying _why the hell do you care?_ but I restrain myself. This is a game, and I am not going to turn down the opportunity to win a match. She wants to see what I think my aptitude might be, or if I know any information about the test. It is fairly public knowledge that my mother lead a part of the research team under Jeanine Matthews. I decide to use this to my advantage.

"My mother told me a few things about the test." I say as I look around for dramatic effect to make her think that I am telling her a secret, "She told me never to tell anyone, but I might make an exception for you because we are such good friends and all." I smile at her.

"Of course!" she replies and smiles as if she knows that she has won. Oh this is going to be good.

"So, first they call out ten names, two from each faction, and when your name is called you will be escorted to a room."

Now I have to start making up things on the spot. I actually don't know these details, but I assume that we will sit down some where, and I remember seeing models for a chair that looked like a dentist's chair in my mom's office when she and her team were making changes to the modern test. I also remember reading about how the room will include mirrors. This to make the test takers begin to focus on themselves. Everything is a mind trick to the Erudite, no action is taken without a reason. Also, the test has to be given by someone who is not from your faction, and the only people that I can think that would volunteer to do this would be the stiffs, so it is likely that she will be tested by one. I craft my response.

"Then you will be taken to a room, and there will be these creepy mirrors for walls. It is a mind trick don't fall for it. You will sit in a chair that resembles a dentist's chair. Then an abnegation volunteer will conduct your test." Then I decide to insert some total bullshit, "My mother told me that the more you know about the room and the more calm that you are, you will have better success on the test."

Cordelia and Kaleigh both stare at me with wide eyes. I wink at them and walk toward the cafeteria before they have time to come up with any more questions.

* * *

 _13:31_

"Hey, saw that you got held up by Cordelia" was the first thing out of Jackson's mouth when I plopped down across from him at our usual table in the cafeteria.

"If you saw me why didn't you come and help me?" I asked, annoyed that he saw me in the claws of Cordelia and didn't bother to come and help me.

He smirked and took a bite out of his sandwich, "Did you really think that I was going to get any where near her if I didn't have to?" Now I was just mad, "Do the terms _Loyalty_ and _Best Friend_ mean anything to you?"

He replies, "No, I'm Erudite." At this I laugh.

As I eat I begin to watch the people around me. My father taught me to be extra observant of others around me. He meant it as a way to teach me to watch my back, just incase anyone ever tried to steal my ideas or my work. My classic Erudite dad, he didn't care about my safety, just the safety of my brain. Even though those where the intentions that he had attached to it, I used this skill for a different reason: a form of entertainment.

Just in front of me to my left sit a group of Dauntless playing a card game. Most of them seem to be harmless idiots, just playing the part of "daredevils" before they actually become members. They have no stake in this game, and it is just pure luck if they win. But, there are others who seem to be focused and competitive. They are the ones that always win. They have a strategy and they know how to play their cards. I watch them play almost every day. There are different variations of the game but the idea is always the same: get the best set of cards and you win what ever items are in the middle of the circle.

One by one as the stakes rise, the Dauntless who are playing pretend slowly drop out of the game. Then only the usuals are left, these are the kids who have put some thought into the game. After a few more rounds only two people are left, a girl with dark skin and intricately braided purple hair and a tall girl with straight blond hair, they are usually the two that end up playing for the pot, although sometimes there is a boy with jet black hair and brown eyes that makes it this far. Blondie has her back to me, and I can just barely see her cards when she shifts the right way, but that is enough. She has a great hand: face cards all the same suit. And, judging by the way that purple-braids is squinting her left eye slightly, she has mediocre cards, and she is bluffing.

I watch as blondie rakes all of the bags of chips, cookies, and jewelry items toward her.

My entertainment is interrupted by Jackson snapping his fingers in front of my face. I turn my attention back to him. "So, you never told me what she wanted" he said as he nodded his head in Cordelia's direction. She looked like she was having an in-depth conversation with some of our other faction mates. She too was just trying to look the part just like those Dauntless, except she was going for studious Erudite.

I laughed, "All I said was part of what that lady in the corner is about to tell us in approximately three minutes," as I said that I motioned toward an erudite representative standing on the opposite side of the room who was holding a large binder, "then I told her some minor schematics of the testing room. I made them sound important, but they are actually pretty trivial," I smirked, "and finally I told her some bullshit on how to pass the test, winked and walked away."

Jackson began to laugh too, "How much do you want to bet that she is telling all of her lackeys over there about her _inside information._ Little does she know that it is all trivial crap."

"Well, Jackson that was exactly what I was going for so no bet, because I know I succeeded."

"How do you know that?"

"Have I ever been wrong?" I asked him with a slight tilt of my head.

He laughed again, and said, "All the time, but you usually make up for it by saying some smart-ass thing right after." That response earned him a nice kick to the shins underneath the table.

"Ouch!" He yelped, but he was still laughing. Then he became serious again and he asked, "Wait, how do you know what that lady is going to say, and some _minor schematics_ of the testing room. We aren't suppose to know anything Vivianne. What did you do? Whose office did you break into and steal classified documents from?"

I pretend to be offended, "How dare you suggest that _I,_ an upstanding Erudite, would break into someone else's office and steal their documents. Do you understand what atrocious accusations you are making?"

He tilts his head and narrows his eyes, "Vivianne, cut the crap. What did you do?"

I replied, "Jackson it's not a big deal. I remembered seeing some documents on my mom's desk about eight years ago, from when she was working with Jeanine to improve the aptitude test. I remembered seeing some documents about a weird chair, a note about making the walls mirrors, and a rough draft of the speech that they were going to give before the test. I could totally be wrong, it was just an assumption, and honestly I'm okay with being wrong because It makes Cordelia look like more of an idiot."

He seemed to relax a little bit before he said, "Sometimes that mind of yours scares me shitless. You probably saw those documents for what, two minutes eight years ago. I swear to God there is something wrong with you." he shook his head and smiled.

"It is a gift and a curse my friend, but mostly a curse."

Jackson was about to respond, but then a bell rang to get our attention. The woman with the clip board now stood at the front of the room.

"The aptitude test will now begin. I will call two names from each faction, and when your name is called you are to follow me. Their will be ten testing rooms, each one of you will be tested by someone who is not from your home faction." she opened up her binder and continued, "From Amity: Iris Winters and Sunshine Gregory. From Candor: Joshua Williams and Mary Kate Phillips. From Erudite: Jackson Aarons and Lilith Healy." Jackson turned to me with wide eyes, but did not talk because the Erudite woman was not done, "From Dauntless: Jezebel Davidson and Madison Vizzini. From Abnegation: Clare Cornett and George Smith. Please follow me."

Jackson got out of his seat and as he passed me it grabbed his sleeve, "Hey, good luck, and I hope you get anything but Erudite." I said with a wink. This made him smile.

I looked up at the others who were called, I noticed that blondie and purple braids were both headed toward the testing rooms. _Well at least now I now have an idea of what their names are_ I thought to myself.

Now all I can do is wait.

* * *

 _14:29_

Of course with my luck I end up going toward the end. I watch as countless kids come back into the cafeteria with blank eyes either looking like they were about to loose their lunch, or they already had.

Jackson looked like he had seen a ghost. When I asked him what happened, he just shook his head, grabbed his bag, and left. That was the moment I started to panic just a little.

They only person who seemed remotely okay was Cordelia. She walked back into the room nonchalantly, with a smug look on her face. Even blondie and purple braids didn't look that good. Maybe Cordelia really is sadistic, who knows.

There were probably only two groups left when the Erudite woman resumed her spot at the front of the room and opened up her binder. She read, "from Amity: Jessica Summers and Maize Jefferson. From Candor Sally Brooks and Zachary Michaels. From Erudite: Kaleigh Waters and Vivianne Callow." _well at least I'm not last._ "From Dauntless: Enzo Siciliano and Marc Daniels. From Abnegation: Meave Rodgers and Cecilia Drew. Please follow me."

Kaleigh and I stood up, as did the Dauntless boy with jet black hair, _Enzo Siciliano._ Now I know the names of all three card players. I don't really think that this is useful information, but I have found that when I start to panic I like a problem to solve to keep my mind off of my impending doom. This seems like the perfect time for a problem to solve.

The woman leads us down a hallway with ten rooms. Somehow I ended up toward the beginning of the line right behind Enzo. He turns to face room one as I standing in front of room two. I place my hand on the for knob, twist it, and walk in.

I guess I was correct on the whole mirror thing. All four walls are covered from ceiling to floor with mirrors. Good old erudite mind tricks. I fall for it anyway, and stop to stare at my reflection in the mirror.

I see a girl with long, wavy red-brown hair, freckles just beginning to show because it is the start of summer, a round face, a small nose, and bright green eyes framed by long eyelashes and thick black rimmed glasses. The glasses were not real, I had perfect vision, but every Erudite had to wear them, supposedly they made you look smarter. Classic Erudite to believe in crap like that, and enforce it as a rule.

The reflection is five feet one and three-fourths inches tall. She has broad shoulders and strong legs. I am built like my father, but I have my mother's stature. He is strong and broad shouldered, so was his brother and his father, it made them great farmers in Amity. We are not supposed to know what factions our parents came from, and they are not supposed to talk about it. But, I got curious. I knew my parents never really fit in with the classic Erudite-born, Erudite-raised, Erudite-chosen mold, so I did some digging into some old files. I found out that my father transferred from Amity the year before my mother transferred from Candor.

I found it funny that my never-smiling father and my expert-lier mother came from Amity and Candor, respectively.

My stature made it hard to find clothes that fit. If it fit my shoulders or my legs it was too long, or if it was the perfect size for me it was way to scandalous to wear out, according to my mother. I always though about how if the gene pool had swung the other way and I had my mother's build and my father's height and hair color I would be a tall, skinny blond. Oh well my stature and build define me as me and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I glance over at the woman in gray clothing sitting beside a chair that looked like a dentist's chair. Great, I was really hoping that I would be wrong about that chair prediction, it is just too creepy.

"Hello, my name is Erin. I will be administering you aptitude test. Please have a seat." She, Erin, says as she gestures toward the chair.

I slowly move toward the chair, I sit and lay back. I see that she has a cup of liquid in her hand. She is looking intently at the ground. At first I think there is something wrong, but then I recall that stiffs have a thing with mirrors. I don't understand it, but then again, I don't understand much about them anyways.

"It must be hard for you," I say, "I mean being in here for almost over an hour, surrounded by all of these mirrors."

She responds not meeting my eyes, "I just ignore them. It would be too selfish to complain."

I feel like slapping her. Too selfish? What does that even mean, "How do you know the others are not uncomfortable. You could be doing them a service if you complained. Would that be selfish?" I ask raising my eyebrows.

She stops what she is doing for a moment, thinking. I have a feeling that I just broke the stiff. Too many equations going through her head. Weighing selfishness with selflessness. Finally, she turns to me and says, "I thought that the Erudite were not allowed to ponder such selfless things or help an Abnegation like myself at all."

She was right. Most of my fellow faction members would scoff at her, or make her feel even worse about herself. But, I just have never seen a point in that. I also never really listened to the crap that Jeanine Matthews was always preaching. One, because she was the head of a faction that I hated with all of my heart. Two, because she was as fake as the rest of them, so how did I know that she wasn't lying. And finally, her voice is annoying, and I honestly did not want to spend my time listening to her on repeat.

Surprisingly, my parents never seemed to believe in her either.

"There are still some people who don't blindly agree with everything that Jeanine says. Some of us want the truth, some of us want proof." _But there are not that many of us._

Erin gives a hint of a smile. Then she turns and hands me a small glass with orange fluid in it.

"What is this?" I ask.

"I cannot tell you that," she responds, "all I can tell you is to drink it. Then you decide what happens next."

"Well, bottoms up." I say as I drink the contents in one gulp. Then my eyes droop and my brain goes numb.

* * *

 **Authors Note:** Hey guys! Today I had a day off from school because of snow. My area is going to get about 16-18 inches today, I am personally really happy about that because I get a day off from school, and I am on my high school ski team so more snow=better skiing! I hope you guys enjoy my OC Vivianne's POV. She will be the main POV of my story. I hope to get the next chapter out over the next two weeks, although that might be difficult because my school has exams coming up, I ask for your patience. As always feel free to provide constructive criticism, read my bio, say hi, or anything else. Hope you guys had a great holiday season, and I wish for you guys to have a happy and healthy 2018!

 **Cheers!**

 **Bridget 3**

 **Disclaimer:** The wonderful Veronica Roth owns all of the original characters from the series and the world! I only own my OCs!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 2

Vivianne POV

When I open my eyes again I am standing in the middle of the cafeteria. All of the tables are empty, and a stale science hangs in the air. I look to my left out a wall of windows, It is snowing, calm flakes continuously fall and look as though they are suspended in the air. I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, _Isn't it summer?_

Before I can elaborate on that though a female voice echoes through the empty room, "Choose."

I turn around, behind me sit two baskets one with a block of cheese and one with a large knife. _Strange._ I tilt my head and consider my choice, "Why?" I absentmindedly mumble to myself not expecting any one else to answer.

But the creepy female-ominous-God-voice replies, "Just choose." Now I'm intrigued. I respond, "What is the point, what am I going to do with them, can't you give me a straight answer?"

I have always been too curious, even for an Erudite. I always seem to ask the wrong questions at the wrong time. Erudite may value knowledge, but they hated probing curiosity, especially curiosity about authority. Unless of course it was against Abnegation, then by all means have at it, question all you want, but if it was against Jeanine those questions were not welcomed.

Now they God-voice seems to come to the conclusion that I am going to be difficult, she says, "Just choose already!" in an annoyed voice.

If she wants me to choose I might as well choose both. I am a little hungry, that cheese looks good, and that knife looks sharp enough to cut it. I make a face up at the celling, and reach into the baskets and pull out both the knife and the cheese. Immediately the baskets disappear, "Creepy much," I mumbled.

I cut off a slice of cheese with the knife and popped it into my mouth. I was about to cut off another slice when the large doors to the cafeteria swung open, revealing a large, brown, teeth-baring, slobbering, dog. _Crap._

The dog begins to stalk toward me, I need to make a decision quickly, before I die at the paws of this black-eyed beast. I look behind me, there are no doors to escape. I could try and run our the window, but they are reenforced glass and I doubt that I am heavy enough or strong enough to break them. That same physical limitation rules out tipping over one of the tables and hiding behind it, that would also be a fruitless endeavor because judging by the way that the muscles in the back of the dog's legs, I'm pretty sure it can jump.

I have no where to escape to, then I look at the chosen items in my hands. Cheese and a knife. I was beginning to get the feeling that God-voice is the one that sent the dog in here. _Maybe this is her way of getting back at me for questioning her. She must be Erudite._

The sound of a dog growling tore me from my thoughts. I read once in a text book that animals, like dogs, have reactions that if I run away it will chase me. On four legs, it will be faster than me. I also remember reading that if you cower away from the animal it will attack because it knows that it has dominance. I have to be assertive. This reminds me of the knife in my hand, and suddenly I realize why that was one of the choices.

I stand up straight and look the dog in the eyes. I remember my neighbor's dog, a cute little thing that does not resemble this beast, but still I feel sympathetic. The dog didn't come in here on its own free will, the God-voice lady forced it to.

Calmly I say, "Hey Buddy, I don't really want to kill you. I personally think that you should turn right around, go find that mean lady who communicates through the celling, and attack her. I am truly sorry if that is what this will come to."

The dog is now just two feet away from me. I can smell its awful breath, and see the outlines of its teeth. Then as if to respond to me the dog barks, loud. To my surprise instead of cowering away, my immediate instinct is to stand up straighter. I blink, and when I open my eyes again, the dog is sitting in front of me, staring up into my eyes, waiting for my command. I felt a rush of power, the bark was a test to see if I was worthy of this dog's respect, and I passed.

Then I saw something move out of the corner of my eyes. It was a little girl standing there in a pristine white sundress. She smiles and yells, "Puppy!" and runs toward the large dog, with her arms outstretched. The dog turns on instinct, leg muscles contracting. I don't have to think twice, my left hand which held the knife trust into the back of the dog's neck, paralyzing it, as it slowly bleeds out. I don't want it to feel pain, but at the same time I could not let it harm the girl.

I turn to her, she is stunned, with a tear rolling down her cheek. She says in a faint voice, "You killed it," that throws me over the edge. Stupid girl does she not realize that I just saved her life. I yell back in response, "It was either you or it! If you wanted to die you should have told me and I would have let the dog kill you, or better yet I would have stabbed you instead!"

That was too harsh, I can feel a small bit of guilt in my stomach. I was about to apologize, when suddenly she disappeared.

In the blink of an eye I was back in the testing room. Sitting in the creepy dentist chair, surrounded by mirrors. I stand up and move toward the door. I force it open, expecting to find myself back in the hallway that I came in from the cafeteria earlier, but instead I find my self on a bus.

I never take the bus, school and all of the shops in the center of the city are basically in Erudite. They are only a short walk from my apartment. If my family or I ever have to travel any where far, like to the hub, or to Amity for the annual celebration of the essential factions, my parents have a car. There has never been a need for me to use public transportation.

I grab on to one of the rails like many others to keep my balance.

I am across from a man who is sitting down reading a news paper. He is covering his face and he is wearing a hat. All of a sudden he looks up and meets my eyes. His face is covered in scars, and his eyes are red-rimmed. he looks like a maniac. I do not look away, I have the sense that I should be wary of this man, but I am not afraid of him. I meet his gaze and stare right back into his eyes, and I raise my eyebrows, _what do you want?_

He flips the paper around to show me the cover, _Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehend._ He asks, "Do you know this man?" He pointed to the picture of the man on the front page underneath the headline. I had a strange feeling that I do know him, but I cannot remember from where. I also get the feeling that I should not trust this man with that information.

So I change the subject, "Why do you want to know?" I ask. He stares at me, looking angrier by the second he raises his voice and asks, "Do you know him or not?"

His insistence on the question makes me suspicious, "Just give me an honest answer, why do you want to know? Do you think I had something do do with the murder? So what if I know him, what is he to you? I just want the truth."

He frowns and says, "I you say you do you could save me. You could save me!"

My answer was a simple one, "Now, why would I want to do that?"

/break/

I open my eyes, and shoot up from the dentist chair, hitting my elbow on some of the equipment next to me. I look to my right, I see Erin as I expected, but standing next to her is another woman. She is dressed in all black, her sleeves are rolled up to expose a tattoo of a river running up her arm, she has dark hair and skin, her back eyes are slightly tugged down on the edges.

"Who are you?" I ask. The Dauntless woman turned to me, "Curious, not surprising. My name is Tori, and I am another aptitude test administrator."

I respond, "Yeah, I kinda getting that, but what are you doing _here_ in my testing room. I already have an administrator. Why are you here?"

She sighs and says, "Vivianne, your test was fairly abnormal and perplexing," she shares a look with Erin that makes my insides turn, "Erin called me in here to send you through an additional test to see if we could, well. . . fix it."

What she said struck me, _abnormal, perplexing, fix it. What the hell._

I must have betrayed what I was thinking on my face because Tori begins to explain, "The test works in a process that is supposed to eliminate a faction every time you make a choice, but for you that did not happen," she pauses, tilts her head, and gives me a scrutinizing look, "The first choice sets up the rest of the choices, and ultimately is a major deciding factor in what you get as a result, the problem is you didn't choose."

I can feel my eyes going wide, I have never failed a test before in my life, but will I be the first person to fail a test that no one can study for and everyone passes.

Tori continues, "If you chose the cheese it would have eliminated Dauntless, and if you chose the knife it would have eliminated Amity, but you chose both,"

I interrupted her, "So am I Dauntless and Amity? What about the other three factions? And. . ." I was talking fast trying to get in every question I had, but Tori held up her hand and said, annoyed, "I'm not done yet nose, shut it." I then proceeded to 'shut it'.

"I would say you are both Dauntless and Amity, but you actions after you choice beg to differ. Your intelligent response to the dog, and the way you killed it suggest Erudite. But, saving the girl, and killing the dog mercifully suggest Abnegation, but threatening the girl suggest more of a Dauntless aptitude."

She was throwing the names of almost every faction in there it was making my head spin, _boy I really fucked up big this time_ Is all that I can think.

Tori still continues, "But your brutal honesty throughout suggests Candor and more Dauntless. So, then we decided to send you through the extra simulation on the bus, to help us clear things up," I interrupt her to ask, "Did it work?" She bluntly replies, "No." Then she says, "Your questions suggest Erudite, your lack of fear suggests Dauntless, and the subject matter of your answers suggest Candor, you wanted him to 'tell you the truth'. At the same time though you withheld the truth from him. This definitely ruled out Amity and Abnegation though, because by admitting in a rule way that you would not want to save him, you kinda squished those options."

I was getting nervous, "So, you eliminated two, two more to go now." I said.

Erin and Tori shared another stomach-turning look. "Well, Vivianne this is our problem. You don't just have an aptitude for one faction, or two for that matter, you possess three aptitudes, Dauntless, Erudite, and Candor." She gave me a serious look and lowered her voice, "People like you are called divergent."

 _Divergent._ That word. I had grown about hearing it my entire life, fearing it my entire life. I have heard what Jeanine says about them, they are trying to take over our city, they are menaces to society, they have to be stopped at all costs, the divergent population need to be killed off. _Me,_ one of _them._ My mind was going as two hundred miles per hour, I was sputtering like a mad woman. Tori silenced me again.

She spoke again in the voice that gave me goose bumps, "You already know how dangerous this is growing up where you are. You are under no circumstances allowed to tell _anyone_ , especially anyone from your faction. Suppress that Candor aptitude and lie." she paused, I didn't think it was possible for her to look more grave, but she proved me wrong, "The last person that I put through the bus simulation that got three aptitudes is dead. She was a good friend of mine, married, lived a nice life with a job where she held significant power and was climbing the leadership ladder in Dauntless, and she is dead, gone just like that. If they can do that to her what do you think they will do to you?"

I sat there stunned out of my mind. Before I could even respond to anything that Tori and said she added, "Go, you have been here way too long. People will begin to get suspicious. Good luck Vivianne Callow."

With that she pulled me up out of the chair, and push me toward the door. I pushed it open, and ran.

* * *

 _15:12_

Dauntless. Erudite. Candor. Divergent. Danger. Dead.

Those where the words that rushed around my brain as I ran as fast as I could toward home.

 _What do you think they will do to you? Good luck Vivianne Callow._

My ahead was beginning to hurt and so where my arms as I walked past the Erudite library. It was usually packed with students from the upper levels school at this time during the week. All huddled together studying for exams, working on projects, students trying to steal knowledge to see who would come out on top that week. Or better yet would could knock me off the number one spot.

I had been invited to these "study groups" but I never wanted to go. Jackson never went, because he could not stand the others, and frankly neither could I, I did not want them to cheat off of me. Also, I found I did my best studying when I was alone, preferably at night looking out the apartment window at the quiet city and the stars, or in the afternoon going on a run while going over information in my head. I did not see the need to blankly stare at textbooks in a room surrounded by other textbooks. It was to overwhelming.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not notice in man who had emerged from the library doors and standing right in front of me. I looked up and I stood face to face with one of the most powerful men in Erudite. He was Jeanine's protege, and he was considered Erudite's most eligible bachelor, Caleb Prior.

He is six years my senior, and at least a foot taller than me. I had to look up at him to meet his eyes. He opened the door to the library building, which was also Erudite's central building that held all of Jeanine's offices and laboratories, and he said, "Vivianne Callow, please follow me."

I was stunned. Not fifteen minutes after Tori told me that I could die at the hands of a man like Caleb, does he invite me to come join him in Erudite's central building, where Jeanine is currently. My first instinct is to run, but if I run I might as well be painting _DIVERGENT_ on my forehead, and writing _please kill me_ in fine print underneath.

"May I ask where we are going." I say in a defensive tone, _crap Vivianne that is not suspicious at all._ I recover and say quickly, "I mean we are not common acquaintances, why do you wish to speak with me."

He smiles kindly at me. I would have believed that smile if I was not always looking out for deceptive people. Too bad being overly observant what something that was fed to me with my cereal in the morning from a young age.

This is bad, I can feel it, in my stomach, in my bones, and in some other sense that I don't know how to describe, but I have always had.

I need a problem to solve now, so that I don't panic.

I look around the library as Caleb leads me down the main hallway, in-between bookshelves that are truly there just for vanity. They serve the same purpose as the glasses, technology has surpassed them, but they make us look smarter so we keep them around.

I watch as one man's eyebrows knit together in concentration as his stare is fixated on his computer. The woman next to him is rapidly typing on her computer, her fingers hitting the keys so violently that I think she might break the computer. Neither of them even notice me or Caleb, they are not going to help.

I focus my stare back to the young man in front of me. He walks with a straight back, and perfect posture, something taught from a young age. The only thing that might alert a person that he did not grow up in a pride filled faction is his head. It is not tilted up in pride, signaling dominance to those around him, rather it is slightly tilted down, if I had to guess his eyes where still analyzing the scene around him though.

I remembered hearing about him from my parents, especially my mother. There were always transfers, but rarely was there a transfer from Abnegation to Erudite. Even rarer is a transfer who out preforms the Erudite borns on every test of intelligence, and by a lot too. He was the first initiate to score anywhere close to Jeanine ever, and he was from Abnegation. I also remember the other breath surprising transfer that year, his sister Beatrice went to Dauntless. I personally found that more mind-blowing than an Abnegation to Erudite transfer. Caleb's was surprising from a political standpoint, but Beatrice's was more of an extreme shift.

I remember the articles about them, and their parents. I would just chalk it up to Jeanine criticizing the Abnegation, and reducing their credibility. But, I did have to admit, one child going to the enemy faction, and one going to a faction that breeds violence it did begin to sound like the articles had some substance. Then again maybe Jeanine just got lucky.

Caleb also made waves with my mother because he was gunning for a spot at the table with Jeanine, a place where my mother held a prominent seat. She said that he was so obsessed it was almost psychotic, but Jeanine didn't care. No, he was obsessed with her and she was never one to shy away from the spotlight. He particularly took interest in the aptitude test in his attempt to win favor with the queen bee.

 _The aptitude test._

Caleb Prior was the embodiment of the danger that Tori warned me about. Good thing I told my parents that I loved them this morning, because I am starting to think that the only way that I am leaving this meeting is in a bodybag.

We begin to climb the stairs. I could just run, but that would be futile since he knows where I live, and running away would just be another thing that would implicate my guilt.

There are two men standing on either side of the staircase. I can see the ink of a tattoo curling around the wrist of one of the men, and as I get closer I can see a hole in the earlobe of the other. Former Dauntless.

My father talks about the resent influx of Dauntless transfers. They don't do very well on the initiation tests and IQ tests, but they pass, and they all take jobs as "guards". All they do is stand around the main library, and hit the new gym. I have seen a lot of them, I spend a lot of time there. I like to exercise, I feel that it makes it easier to concentrate when my endorphins are flowing.

I look up the stair case to the hallway a few floors above, Jeanine's office floor. Just from here I can see three more guards milling around, as Erudite members rush about, unfazed by the Dauntless, with tablets containing research. I look behind me at the guards at the bottom of the stairs. There is nothing out of the ordinary with piercing, but tattoo is a little more careless. One of his coat flaps is caught on the gun wedged under his waistband. Now I can assume that all of the guards are armed, and all are ex-Dauntless.

The more problems I solve the worse this situation gets.

Caleb and I reach the second floor. He takes a right and I finally get a full look at the rest of the hallway. Along with the three mobile guards there are two more in front of an office door. Jeanine's office door.

"She is expecting you" the guard on the left says.

"Thank you, you are dismissed." Says Caleb. The guard looks like his is about to protest, but Caleb gives him a look, and he shuts up and walks away. The second guard opens the door and follows suit.

Caleb holds the door and I enter.

The back wall is made entirely out of glass windows, giving a picturesque view of downtown in the city. People rushing about on the street below, cars navigating the road, and the wind carrying leaves. On the back left wall there is a table with a vase of water and glasses. There are two blue chairs across from a desk on the back right wall. Sitting behind the desk is a sharp looking woman with blond hair angled across her jaw, she is wearing a skin tight blue dress.

She shifts her glasses down her nose, and her cold blue eyes feel as though they are staring into my soul, reading all of my lies, my past, predicting my future. She tilts her head, processing the facts that she has gathered like a human computer. That is what she is, more circuit board than woman. An insanely smart computer is all she is, not a woman. This is Jeanine Matthews, and in the snap of her fingers she could have me executed.

"Vivianne Callow, it is a pleasure to finally meet you after working alongside your mother for years, I have heard so much about you. Please sit." says Jeanine. I consider standing just to piss her off, but I do not really want to mess with the woman who holds my life by a thread.

"Is this some type of test to see which chair I choose so that you can profile me further than you already have in the past 30 seconds?" I ask, she laughs, "No this is not a test. . .yet" I could swear the expression that she wears for a second is smirk, but it is gone in the blink of an eye.

I take the seat closest to the door so that I can have a clean line to the only exit in the room.

Caleb takes the chair on my left. At this distance I get an up close look at his face. To anyone else he would look to be the epitome of composure, but I can see different. He missed a spot shaving under his jaw, he is wearing concealer under his eyes to hide purple, baggy under eyes, and he is twitching with nerves as he sits. He is anxious, he hasn't had a goodnights sleep in what looks like weeks maybe months, and he looks like he hasn't had a good meal in that amount of time either. He is a mess.

I return my attention back to Jeanine. I make sure to keep my posture straight and maintain eye contact, I do not want her to think that she has won this chess match before it has even begun. I will not cower to this woman.

I can see in her eyes that she is still analyzing me, like a well programmed computer always should, compiling new information, running it though processors and storing it in memory.

Caleb begins to tap his fingers off beat on the arm of the chair. My leg begins to bounce, I have never been able to stay still for long.

I decide to take control of this exchange before she leads me down a hole that I cannot climb back out of, "What is is that you wanted to discuss with me? I am not even a full member yet, what is is point in talking to me?"

She replies, "Alright Vivianne, I will be frank with you, we need your help with a project. It is to our advantage that you are not a full-fledged member yet."

"I do not follow. Why is it better to get help from a person who is not a member?" I reply puzzled, and relieved at the same time, maybe she is not going to kill me.

"I have noticed over the years that you are an extraordinary observer. Your attention to details is stunning. Your mother is the same way, must be some good genes that she passed on to you." Jeanine says. I get the feeling that I usually get when someone is lying to me or they are being sarcastic, but I cannot pinpoint why.

She continues, "I assume that you have read the papers in the past few months, " I nod, "good, I assume that you heard about the death of the young Dauntless leader about six months ago."

Yes I did. A young Dauntless leader stabbed to death in the middle of the street in the factionless sector. I what was her name, "Tris" I say on reflex as I figure it out. At the mention of her name Caleb visibly flinches and Jeanine gives a smile that does not meet her eyes.

"Yes that is her, otherwise known as Beatrice Prior."

I freeze and my eyes feel as though they are about to pop out of my head. _Tris Prior,_ the daring Abnegation to Dauntless transfer, the younger sister of Caleb Prior. A leader. Dead.

"I have also noticed in your other behaviors. You are not a coward, you never back down from something that you believe in, you are physically fit and built to hold muscle, and you do have a rebellious streak." She says raising her eyebrows. I am too stunned by the previous bombshell that was dropped that I do not laugh at her joke. She continues, "As you may have noticed our faction has a good _relationship_ with the Dauntless."

"You mean your guards that transferred, but really didn't" I respond

She purses her lips and says, "Those men and women are loyal to me, we take faction before blood very seriously here Vivianne. We may have _encouraged_ them to stay in touch with their Dauntless roots." She gives another strange smile and continues, "This is not an unfair trade though, Dauntless gives us people, and we provide them with some in return. People that have the potential to do great things as soldiers, and I think that you might be one of those people"

"Ok now you have officially lost me Ms. Matthews" I say.

"It is quite simple Vivianne. I am hoping that you will follow your instincts and do this city a great favor by becoming a great soldier in Dauntless. But, while you are there if you so choose to go I need you to continuously report to Caleb and I on one thing, the investigation into who killed Tris Prior. You see city rules force Dauntless to keep this internal, but my dear friend Caleb here just wants information. Do you understand?"

It was beginning to make sense. Jeanine wants me to get information not for her, but for Caleb. His anxiety and lack of sleep are because of a broken heart, grief. His sister is dead and he wants justice. I do not have any siblings, but if one of my parents died I would do anything for justice and information too.

"Let me get this clear before I jump to any conclusions." I pause, "You are _encouraging_ me to transfer to Dauntless, and be a spy of sorts into the investigation of the death of Tris Prior. Isn't this against faction law?"

"It is in a small capacity, but it is justice for Caleb's little sister, all we want is the truth." She says.

I look over at Caleb. He looks like the life has been drained out of him, and he refuses to meet my eyes. I may be breaking the law, but what do I have to loose, I needed to get out of this faction before anyone figures out what I am, and the leader who would most likely kill me if she knew is handing me a free ticket out of here.

 _Follow you instincts._

"I will have to think about this. But do know that if I choose to spill my blood over the coals at tomorrow's choosing ceremony, I will help you find out what happened to Tris Prior." I say.

"That is very good news Ms. Callow. Thank you for your time, and hopefully for your future service." she pauses, "I am sure that you can see yourself out, good luck Vivianne Callow."

I get up, open the door, walk down the stairs, and out of the library as fast as I can without raising suspicion. Once I am outside I resume running agin, all the way home.

I just danced with the devil and I survived. . . for now. And I am not necessarily sure that is a good thing.

* * *

 **Authors Note:** Hey guys! I finished all of my exams, and as a "you did it!" present I finished this chapter. I am sorry that this took so long, I was going to end this chapter way before I did, but it was too much of a cliff hanger that I could not even stand it and I know what happens! I hope to have the next update in the next two to three weeks. This story has reached over 10,000 words! Are you guys liking it so far? As always feel free to provide constructive criticism, read my bio, say hi, or anything else!

 **Cheers!**

 **Bridget**

 **Disclaimer:** The wonderful Veronica Roth owns all of the original characters from the series and the world! I only own my OCs!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note pt.1:**

 **I posted two pieces! After this Chapter click next to see a small interlude that I have included and had a lot of fun writing.**

 **Happy Reading**

 **-Bridget**

Chapter 3

Vivianne's POV

 _15:47_

I reach the door to my family apartment out of breath, my lungs burning and my legs so weak I fell like I am going to collapse. I think that was the fastest I have ever run in my entire life.

I try to collect myself before I enter the apartment. If my parents see me in this condition, they will ask me where I have been and what the hell I have been doing and I would not be able to lie. My parents, especially my mother, always know when I am lying. Maybe that is why I am pretty good at it with the rest of the world, if it passes by my parents, it will fool anyone.

I fan myself off with the collar of my shirt, take a few deep breaths, and smooth down my hair. Satisfied that I no longer look like a maniac, I twist the door knob and walk in.

My mother is at the kitchen table, hunched over her computer in concentration, her auburn hair creating a curtain around her face as she types furiously. My father is cooking dinner on the stove top. I drop my backpack on the floor near the door, I slip off my shoes, and I walk toward the couch and flop down. Perusal they haven't even noticed me, to busy in there own little worlds.

I look out the windows that make up the opposite wall in the living room. My mother's job does come with some perks besides sleepless nights and dealing with Jeanine all day, and one of them is a nice apartment with a beautiful view of the entire city. I could even see the small lights at the top of the fence that outlines the city. Jackson and I used to imagine that we could even see the lights of a city beyond the fence from here. As we got older though we realized that it would be physically impossible to see that far, but kids can dream.

"Shit!" My mother curses as she bangs her fist on the kitchen table, causing me to jump and wake up from my thoughts. My father on the other hand is barely phased when he asks, "What is it Denise?"

"It is the same thing that has been bothering me for the past six months Leland," my mother says condescendingly. My mother has been droning on to my father about some problem she has been having. It was some extra thing she decided to do, personally I don't understand why she gets so stressed over something that is not even a required part of her job. Leave it to my mother though to stress over something so meaningless.

"Is there anything I an do?" my father asks already knowing the response, "No, no I am fine." My mother says, the same thing she always says. Tomorrow it will be something else my mother will be stressed over, she will make a big deal over it, and then will blow it off as nothing the moment that someone tries to help her.

 _Tomorrow_ I think. Tomorrow I could be in a totally different faction, wearing black, and hearing a lot more people curse for no reason.

I feel sick. My parents and I might not be the affectionate, loving family that is typical, but we do care about each other. Even though my parents might have fell out of love a long time ago, and I cannot remember the last time my parents showed affection, I still know that they care about me, and I love them. They are the only family I have ever had. I do not want to leave them.

But I do want to leave Erudite. I hate it here, I always have.

I needed a problem to solve, I do not want to deal with this internal crisis right now. This is how I have lived my entire life, if I have a problem, I just have to make one outside myself bigger than the one inside me. Then I prioritize, solve the biggest problem first, which now happens to be the one outside myself, and repeat.

I walk over to the kitchen table and sit down beside my mother at the kitchen table. I glance over at the papers that are strewn out on the table around her. One of the titles catches my eyes, _Links Between Brain Chemistry and Abnormal Thought Process._ There are a few paragraphs and some statistics that I cannot clearly make out. The author is Jeanine. My mother has a few scrabbled notes in her messy shorthand, only one I can clearly see, _prefrontal cortex - giveaway?_ I have no idea what it means.

I am about to discreetly move some of the other papers over to get a better look at the study when my mother reaches out and grabs the papers. She shuffles them and puts them in a folder, I cannot read the label, but there is a small red classified stamp in the corner.

I knew that my mother dealt with information that came directly from Jeanine, but I would think that it is some rule that she would not be allowed to bring home classified studies.

She slams her laptop shut. I look up and make eye contact with her, and I give her a tight smile and she mimics one back. She knows that I was looking at her stuff.

My father comes over to the table with a bowl of pasta and a bowl of salad with chicken. A balanced meal, incorporating all of the elements of the food pyramid. I heathy body promotes a healthy mind, of course.

"Vivianne, would you go and grab some plates and some silverware" my mother asks. I get up and go into the kitchen. As I reach up to grab the plates I hear my father, "We have to ask her about her test Denise, we need to know." My mother hastily responds, "She is too smart, she will know something is up if we push her too hard."

I take a deep breath. My parents want to know if I got anything besides Erudite. Could they even suspect that I am divergent.

All of a sudden it occurs that my mother works directly with Jeanine, she could report me and execute me herself. My own mother is also the enemy that Tori warned me about.

I decided that I will have to avoid the subject at all costs, and if they do manage to get it out of me I got Erudite, just Erudite.

I walk over to the table, hand my mother and my father plates and silverware, and sit.

We eat in silence for a few minutes, until my mother finally decides to speak, "Vivianne how was your day today."

I respond, "fine."

My father is not satisfied, "Your mother means 'your day' pertaining to your test."

"Ah that," I respond, and I decide to change the subject, "Well, I see that you two were both released early from work. Was that because of my test or some other reason?"

My mother is tired of this, usually it takes longer for her to become aggravated with me, she must be really stressed out of this brain chemistry study, "Vivianne stop changing the subject, your father and I are not dealing with this today!"

I look to my mother on my left and my father across from me, I sigh like I am about to force out a truth I have been holding back and I try to look disappointed, it is no secret to my parents that I hate it here, "Fine, I got Erudite. I am sure you are both thrilled."

"Is that all you wish to tell us Viv?" My father asks.

Alarms go off in my head, he knows that something else happened, weather he knows about the meeting with Jeanine or he knows of my other aptitudes. I need a subject changer that will get both of them to shut up. That is when I notice something

"Before I answer that, dad what is on the flash drive in your shirt pocket?" and before my mother gets any ideas, "And Mom, I didn't know you were about to bring home classified studies?" I give a smug smile, "Anyways, you both know the rules, hell mom you created most of them, I am not allowed to share information about my test, I am already breaking rules for you."

Both of them sport placid expressions. To anyone else they would look unaffected, but I can see the subtle clench of my father's jaw, and my mother has taken an exceptionally long drink from her wine glass.

"Thought so." I mumbled under my breath. Louder I said, "I am finished, and I am going to my room to ponder my existence in my room for the rest of the night and possibly into tomorrow morning, so if you would excuse me."

"You are excused." My mother says.

I get up and walk toward the hallway. As I round the corner I pause waiting for my parents to say something.

I am about to move on before I hear my mother say, "Way to go Leland. The direct approach worked wonders."

My father responds, "Well at least I tried instead of sitting there playing with my food."

"Whatever Le, we both failed." she pauses, "Wait, what is on that flash drive?"

"I could ask you the same about the files." My father responds. Then silence. I make my way up the stairs to sleep this off. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow and none of this will have happened. A girl can hope right.

* * *

 _8:03_

 _The Hub_

I feel as though the room is closing in on me. I need to get out of here, the only problem is that I have just gotten into my position near the end of the circle. I have the Abnegation Clare Cornett on my right, and on my left is a Candor Michelle Byron. I look to the very end of the line on my left, my best friend Jackson Aarons will choose last because of his last name.

He meets my eyes, I give him a small, nervous smile. He gives one back, but it does not reach his eyes. I never asked him what he got on his test, he just left so fast after the test I did not get the chance. Soon enough though we would be continuing on in our lives on a new adventure together.

Yes together, he would never leave me.

I look down at my feet. I made my decision which faction to choose this morning when I got dressed. The boots that I am wearing are from one of the many adventures that Jackson and I have had over the years.

* * *

 _Approximately 1 year ago_

 _Faction Clothing Exchange_

 _13:16_

"Vivianne is this really necessary?" Jackson says, "You saw those boots on a few Dauntless kids, what is the big deal? Why do we have to steal them?"

"Because I want them. What do you want me to do Jackson, ask nicely, they are Dauntless they will kill us, or worse." I say as I try and get a better view of the Factionless trucks filled with clothing.

I see a truck piled high with black tee shirts and pants, then I see them: the boots. They are the coolest looking boots I have ever seen, made of black leather they lace all the way up to the mid calf. I saw blondie wearing them the other day and decided that I just had to get my hands on a pair.

"If we get caught now don't you think that they will kill us any way?" Jackson looks pale, "I really don't want to die over a pair of stupid boots Vivianne!"

"First of all they are not stupid, they look badass, and blondie approves of them so they cannot be stupid," I reply, "Second you are not going to get caught and die as long as you keep your whiney mouth shut and you follow my lead."

I hop over the pile of sacks of food that came from Amity that we were hiding behind and I sneak around the back of the truck out of view.

I tilt my head and look at Jackson. I motion for him to follow me. He is hesitant at first, but he sighs, a little too loud, and hops over the sacks. He is not half as graceful as I was. His long slender figure, that he has not entirely grown into yet, gets caught in the folds of some sacks and he falls flat on his face. I rush over quickly and proceed to drag him behind a different truck. It is father away from the target truck, but it is easier to drag Jackson to out of sight.

He rubs gravel off of his face, "I knew this was a terrible idea Vivianne, I knew it, we are going to die, I knew it," He rambles on and I get tired of it.

"If you don't shut up now then we will definitely be dead, do you want that Jackson?" He shakes his head so I say, "Okay, then shut the fuck up."

I peek my head around the corner of the truck, just barely hidden by another truck. I see two Dauntless talking I cannot make out what they are saying, but the conversation seems pretty heated. A man with more piercings than skin on his face is yelling at the other man, who looks slightly terrified. The terrified one salutes at face-piercings and scurries off. Face-piercings goes off in another direction, looking annoyed.

"Clear." I say to Jackson

I make my move. I keep my back to the truck, then I quickly dart across the gap between the two trucks. Now my back was to the truck with the boots.

"Watch my back Jackson, I am going to climb over the top of the truck, get under the canopy on the top, grab the boots, throw them to you, jump back out, and then we run like hell." Without giving him the chance to respond I say, "Got it. Good." And I begin to climb the side of the truck.

Right before I drop into the bed of the truck I hear, "Shit, Viv-" then I am in the truck.

I look around, I am only getting partial light from the cracks in the cover that I am hiding under. I grab a pair of the boots, and I slip off the shoe that I am wearing and I place one of the boots on. There is a little bit of wiggle room but it fits well enough. In my calculations I left enough time to try on at least three pairs, so I decide to take advantage of the extra time and look around.

I first thing that catches my eye is a necklace. I pocket it as a gift to Jackson for putting up with me.

The second things that catch my eyes are the guns.

There are at least forty maybe fifty hidden under all of the clothes. Maybe it is what is left of my conscience telling me to leave the guns and run, but I never really follow that old thing anyway.

I grab one of the guns and shove it under the waist band of my pants. I climb back out of the truck to see a relieved, but antsy Jackson. The sight is comical, and it causes me to lose focus for just a second, but that is long enough for me to lose my balance and bang my leg up against the side of the truck hard. It did not hurt too bad, but it did make one hell of a noise.

"Run!" I whisper-shout at Jackson, and he obliges.

The last thing I hear is, "Check the truck! I want tighter security goddamn it! We have been breached! Get you lazy ass up and check the truck!"

I turn around to see a furious face-piercings screaming orders. Then I continue on sprinting with Jackson.

We round a corner in the Factionless sector and deem it safe to stop.

"Here are your fucking death boots!" Jackson says throwing my new boots at me.

"Good name, I like it. Makes them sound even more badass." I say as I catch them.

"Yes so badass they almost got us KILLED Vivianne! That is why they are death boots, they were almost my cause of death. My parents would be even more ashamed of me than they already are if they found out that I died trying to steal you a pair of death boots!" Jackson yells, flustered.

I give Jackson a minute to collect himself before I hand him the necklace.

"What-" he begins but I interrupt him.

"Think of it as a _thank you for almost dying because I wanted a pair of death boots_ necklace." I say and I give him a small smile.

"Thanks Vivianne, it's a nice touch." He says as he puts it on. Jackson could never stay mad at me for very long.

Then Jackson asks, "What else did you steal, sticky-fingers? What is that in your waist band."

 _Oh the gun._ If Jackson was mad at me before he was going to hate me now.

I gaze at him out of the corner of my eyes, and I pull the gun out of my waist band. I smirk at Jackson, and he looks as if he was going to puke.

"I knew there was a rumor going around that you were a psycho-bitch, but I didn't believe in any of that chatter. Was I wrong not to? Vivianne what the fuck are you doing with a gun?" Jackson says in a serious tone.

"Look, I just saw it and I wanted it for no apparent reason. I have never held one, or really seen one up close." I say.

"Some day that Erudite curiosity is going to get you killed Vivianne, and I don't really want to be there when it happens." Jackson says.

I sigh, "Well do you at least want to look at it and see what is inside?" I say giving a small smile.

"Hell yes, but you are holing it so if it misfires you die or get in trouble and I can run." Jackson replies.

I laugh, Jackson really cannot stay mad at me, "Okay pansy suit yourself."

I open up the chamber of the gun. I was expecting to see small metal bullets, but instead there were small vial-like objects filled with an orange tinted liquid.

"I thought bullets where made out of metal." I say as I grab one of the vials and hold it up in the light.

jackson snatches the vial and the gun out of my hand. "Whatever it is I do not think that the Dauntless wanted it to be discovered." He then throws the vial and the gun into a trash can.

"Hey! That was mine." I say, but only half-heartedly because I know that was the right decision.

Jackson and I walk in silence for a little while. I am tired of the serious silence so I say, "So, what are we going to do tomorrow?"

"Nope, no way!" Jackson starts, "I need a day off between these rebellious activities. If we keep going at this rate I am going to have heart failure at age 20!"

I tilted my head back and laughed.

* * *

 _Present time: 8:14_

 _The Hub_

I was so lost in my thought that I did not hear Jeanine's speech. She is already calling out names.

"Zion, Anthony." An Abnegation goes up to choose, and he slices his palm with the knife in unsteady hands, and pours his blood over the stones.

"Woodgate, Katrina." Jeanine continues. I can feel my blood pounding in my head. "Waal, Juliette." The ceremony is going to fast.

"Stottlemeyer, Jeffery." Is the first to Transfer. He wears Candor black and white, and he pours his blood into the water.

Too fast. I am not ready.

My brain is on autopilot. My mind usually shuts down when I experience high stress situations. Now is not really the best time for that though.

"Cornett, Clare." The Abnegation girl next to me is shaking with fear. She clutches a piece of simple string that is strung around her wrist. She walks up the stairs, almost tripping on the seventh one. She makes it to Jeanine, and avoids the Erudite leader's eyes as she takes the knife and slices open her palm and drops her blood over the stones. "Abnegation."

She clears the stage as Jeanine reads the next name, "Callow, Vivianne."

I take a deep breath. In and out. I am ready, I am brave. I made the decision last night to transfer to Dauntless. I can only hope my parents will forgive me, I don't really give two shits about the rest of my faction.

I take the steps calmly. Time might have been moving at a lightning speed just a moment ago, but now it has slowed to a snail's pace. I can hear even the slightest of sounds, the small undertone squeal of the microphone in Jeanine's hand, the slight patter of rain outside, and the rapid tap tap tap of Marcus Easton's impatient feet. I almost want to sock the Abnegation leader in the face, but I have the feeling that I may be doing a lot of punching in the upcoming weeks.

Jeanine offers me the knife and I take it. I meet her eyes. I do not know what her motives are with sending me of all people in to Dauntless to find out what happened to a dead leader. I am determined not only to find out what happened to the poor woman, but also figure out what Jeanine wants.

Jackson always said that my curiosity would kill me. Every second he seems to be even more correct.

I run the blade of the knife over my palm. There is so much adrenaline running through my veins right now that I barely feel the pain.

I breath out as I extend my hand over the bowl.

I swear the room is silent all for the sizzle of my blood on the coals.

"Dauntless."

The world moves in real time again, and the shouting is deafening.

I am brave and I am free, but I am also on a mission.

It is also kind of an adventure though.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 3 and 4 interlude: flashback

3rd Person POV

 _14:45 on Aptitude Test Day_

 _Location: Jeanine's Office in Erudite HQ_

She realizes now, as she stares out the large window that makes up the back wall of her office that she will need an office with a better view of the whole city once she is in control. She was close six years ago, putting the finishing touches on a seemingly fool proof plan. That was before it all went down the metaphorical drain. Jeanine could have never predicted what one girl, from Abnegation of all places, could have done to ruin her plans.

It did not matter now, that problem was solved. A small miscalculation, now corrected. Now she was back on track, her plan finally falling back into place again.

There is a knock on her office door. She sent Denise Callow home over an hour ago, she was too distracted by her daughter's aptitude test to get any decent work done.

Jeanine liked Denise, even though her taste in men was not all that great, and she payed for that in her rebellious and very likely divergent daughter, Vivianne. Who ranks first in their initiation IQ test, and then marries the seventh ranked Amity transfer from the year before, who is rumored to be the person to go to for "extracurricular chemistry"? Jeanine still respected Denise's opinions when it came to work, she was the only person responsible for keeping Jeanine sane, and her projects on the least destructive path.

Even Jeanine could admit to herself she needed advice to keep on track, but that did not mean that she had to listen to all of it.

The knocking continues, and it wakes Jeanine from her thoughts.

"Yes, I am coming." she says as she goes toward the door. She opens it to find the usual sight of Jonny and Devon, the Dauntless guards that are posted in front of her door from when she arrives all the way until she leaves, that is if she leaves, she has spent many a night here pondering her plans.

Between Jonny and Devon stands a short girl with dark straight hair and caramel-colored skin. Sacha Kauffer. A fourth ranked from her initiation, who is currently heading up operations in IT. She is a promising student of Jeanine's, she will believe anything Ms. Matthew's tells her, and will do anything for and her faction.

Sacha looks up through her glasses at Jeanine, clears her throat and says, "Jeanine we have a problem with the firewalls."

Jeanine immediately responds, "Elaborate Ms. Kauffer."

Sacha continues, "Someone has breached one, specifically the one containing information on Beatrice Prior. Simple information, simulations that failed, elements of her brain chemistry that might explain abnormalities, and some footage we compiled. Nothing important or concrete, but it was strange it seems that the person was specifically looking for the files that we have on her. why would someone hack us for information on a dead divergent?"

It seems that Tris Prior was going to continue to be a problem, even if she is no longer alive to do anything. It frustrated Jeanine, there was no logical explanation about this girl. Jeanine had seen divergence in many shapes and forms, but nothing compared to the divergence that flowed though Tris Prior's blood and made her brain work. Jeanine wondered if it was her divergence that made her have such a lasting impact on the world.

Jeanine made a mental note to research into that later.

Jeanine only had one question, "Where did the hack originate from?"

Sacha replied, "Dauntless. From one of the main computers hooked up to the control room system. I was unable to give the computer a virus or counter-hack it because then I would have risked shutting down the city security, and that would not have been ideal. Are you not curious as to why this and why now?"

No. Jeanine was not curious because she already knew the answers to those questions, as well as another important one: _who?_ She had her suspicions but what Sacha said confirmed them.

"Sacha I need you to preform a few tasks for me, can you?" Jeanine asked. Sacha nodded her head, "Yes of course." she said.

"Good," Jeanine continued, "I need you to go find Caleb, and bring him to my office immediately, then I need you to contact Mary Clare, the woman running the aptitude tests this year, and tell her to delay the test of Vivianne Callow, and finally I need you to sure up all of the other firewalls, we cannot let this happen again. Most importantly Sacha, keep this incident to yourself." Jeanine meets Sacha's eyes as she says, "Do you understand?" Sacha responds, "Yes."

Jeanine nods dismissing Sacha, and the young woman scurries out of the room.

Jeanine returns to her spot overlooking the city. She realizes that Tris Prior may be dead, but her memory is not. She touched too many lives to ever full disappear in the night. There was one person on which she especially had an effect. She could never quite figure out Tris's angle by dating and then marrying Tobias Eaton.

Jeanine understood using him to gain status, but after about a year Tris Prior was considered the prodigy, the one with the power. She was about to be a leader, and he was nothing.

There is a possibility that was one element of Tris Prior's divergence, her ability to be smart and oblivious at the same time. To have cold logic, but still feel and love. It was most likely the Abnegation caring, and the Dauntless passion, that lead her to love like she did. She was truly fascinating. Jeanine wishes that she could have gotten to the Prior girl before she died, and at the very least run a few simulations with her.

It disturbed Jeanine that she could spend hours on end, thinking her self though a maze of theories about a dead girl. She is gone, it is time to move on. Although Jeanine always hated incomplete research.

Another knock on her office door disturbs her thoughts, except this time instead of waiting for her to open the door, they open the door themselves, and enter.

She was so glad that Caleb Prior was nothing like his sister. Where as she was complex and always a wild card, Caleb is predictable. Tris was always questioning, and too curious for her own good, Caleb was naive and never questioned Jeanine. She could count on Caleb to do anything she told him to. He had let go of his blood ties a long time ago, something that Tris could never do, and he was at Jeanine's will.

She had considered the chance that she preferred Caleb to Beatrice because he resembles their father, and she their mother. Not only was Caleb the spitting image of Andrew, but he though just like Andrew did, before that divergent Dauntless corrupted his mind. It was only fitting Beatrice as so similar to Natalie and Caleb to Andrew.

Caleb usually looked better than he did right now though. His hair was a total mess, the buttons on his shirt were in the wrong holes, and the circles under his eyes resembled bruises. His eyes were blood shot but they where still alert, focused in on her.

She walked over to her desk, and pulled some concealer out of one of her desk draws and tossed it to Caleb. He caught it and stared at her quizzically.

"I need you to go out and do a job for me, and because you will be representing me directly, I need you to give off a more presentable image." She told him, he looked as though he was about to protest but she beat him to it, "Let me rephrase that, this is not a request, you must do as I ask."

He gave her a defeated look. She decided to fill him in on what he was going to do to make him curious and persuade him to go, "All you need is to wait outside of Headquarters and wait for Vivianne Callow to walk by, then I need you to bring her up here."

Caleb finished applying the concealer to his face and said, "I do not want to be here for the execution or torture of a teenage girl, especially the child of a woman that I work with everyday." He said glaring at her, "I am not a violent person, my sister got all of that from the gene pool."

He gazed out the window and his shoulders slumped as he sighed. Jeanine would need to remind him of faction before blood, and of the fact that his beloved sister is one of the divergents, also she is dead.

"I am not bringing her up here to torture her or kill her." Jeanine responded, "I wish to merely speak with her."

Caleb gave her a skeptical look. He did not believe a word of what she just said, but Jeanine has won, now he is curious and is more likely to follow through with he request. She could always rely on his thirst for knowledge, and as long as she was in control of all of the information she could control him.

"What do you wish to _speak_ with her about?" Caleb asks, intrigued.

Jeanine smiles, "Welcome back to the real world Caleb Prior. We missed you for the past six months." Jeanine said.

Caleb did not seem to be amused, so Jeanine continued, "I do not know how much Sacha filled you in on when she came to get you, but there has been a _complication_ in Dauntless. We were hacked by one of the central computers in the Dauntless control room. It was most likely by someone who has unlimited access and is one of the best hackers there."

He was beginning to catch on, Jeanine continued, "They where gained access to all that we have on your sister. I personally can only think of one person who would and can do this."

Caleb nods and says, "Tobias Eaton" he said just to affirm that jeanine was saying.

Jeanine nodded and her speech became urgent, "This is a problem, he has everything that we have on her death and what ever he has been able to gather on his own. He cannot solve this before we do. Who knows what else he will be able to uncover too." she sighed, "we _cannot_ afford for the plan not to execute again. It has been six very long years, it is our time."

Caleb wrings his hands, "Why can we not just use the moles we already have in Dauntless, like Eric."

"He doesn't trust any of them. She uncovered all of them before she was killed, and she told him to be wary of them. The failed assassination 5 years ago did not help with that. As for Eric specifically I was thinking of telling him to tone it down, Eaton is convinced that Eric is responsible for his beloved wife's death. The rumor is that once he finds evidence he is just going to kill Eric, present the evidence, and ask for forgiveness afterwards."

Caleb's eyebrows draw together in concentration as he says, "Okay, I understand not using one of the moles we have in there now, but why Vivianne Callow, a random divergent teenager whom we cannot even trust?"

Jeanine smirked, "as you said, Vivianne Callow is most likely divergent. Judging by her rebellious actions over her lifetime and her rumored unpleasant and sarcastic personality, she will have an aptitude for Dauntless. If we can persuade her to transfer she will be an initiate. A divergent initiate."

Caleb still looked skeptical.

She continued, "Tobias "Four" Eaton is an invitation instructor, specifically during the simulation stage, where most divergents are found. That was how him and his wife got away with hiding them for so long, they knew about them before we did."

Caleb was beginning to understand.

"He will see her as a small, smart, brave, divergent. She will remind him of your sister, even if he does not realize it. He will see her as the child he and Tris never got to have. They will confide in each other. If we give her the _very important_ task of finding Tris's killer, the first person she will go to is her new confidant, who just happens to be Tris's very nosey widower. Then she will report back to us everything that she gathers from him because she thinks she is helping."

Caleb fully understood now and felt conferrable contributing to the plan he said, "It is a great plan, but isn't it inevitable that she will eventually turn on us once she figures out our true motives? Also, how are we going to really sell it to get her to agree? Do we have a back up plan?"

Jeanine almost broke out in a smile. It was great to see Caleb back after the death of his sister. It took a tole on him that Jeanine could have never expected.

"The way that we will get her to agree is to make her feel obligated. That will be achieved just by you being in the room while this conversation takes place. She is an observant girl, she will realize that you are not in the best shape after your sister's untimely death, and she will feel it is her duty to do you justice."

Caleb flinched, "I am sorry for my actions over the past few months. They were the actions of a faction traitor, they were disgraceful."

Jeanine replied, "I forgive you." She was about to end the conversation there but then she decided to say something that Caleb needed to hear, "You are aware Caleb, that your sister's days where numbered. She was the most dangerous divergent in the city. It would have only been a matter of time before we would have experimented and then executed her."

Jeanine's eyes met Caleb's as he shivered, "Yes, I do understand." He managed to say confidently.

"Good" Jeanine continued, "As for your other ideas, after our meeting with Ms. Callow I need you to locate Cordelia Kronin. If she is anything like her cousin Eric, which I believe she is, then she will be the perfect asset as a new mole in Dauntless. She can keep an eye on our friend Vivianne. Once we are done with her, or she turns against us, I will have Cordelia arrange for Vivianne to have a _tragic accident_ "

"I will go to the front of Headquarters and wait for Vivianne Callow, her test should be over soon." Caleb turned and walked out the door.

Jeanine returned to her spot gazing out the back all of her office, she could almost taste the power she was about to obtain.

Caleb could hear his heart beating in his chest, what had he gotten him self into. _This is all your fault Tris._ There was no point in thinking like that, his baby sister was dead, but this was still all her fault. He felt as though one day the guards that regarded him with such esteem now would soon be hauling him to the holding cells in the basement.

Jeanine was going to all of these lengths to find out who killed his sister. No one truly knows what happened to Tris Prior except Tris herself, but little does Jeanine know the next best person for her to ask is her closest partner. Him.

* * *

 **Author's Note pt.2:**

 **Hey Guys!**

Long time no see (write?), anyway, I hope that you liked Ch. 3 and this little interlude piece. I will be putting these in as background information or to add an element of dramatic irony to my story. They are usually going to be from and omniscient 3rd person POV narrator usually focused on one certain character (this was Jeanine and a little bit a Caleb) other times I will write them from first person POV as flashbacks (this is how you guys will get Tris's POV which I am so excited to write you have no idea!). I hope this week to put up ch.4 this week (wow ambitious I know) I am on vacation so I have time. As always feel free to provide constructive criticism, read my bio, say hi, or anything else!

 **Cheers!**

 **Bridget**

 **Disclaimer:** The wonderful Veronica Roth owns all of the original characters from the series and the world! I only own my OCs!


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 4_

 _Vivianne POV_

 _08:17_

I am greeted by a loud group of cheering Dauntless. I man gets up and hands me a bandage to wrap around the new wound in my hand.

I walk and stand behind the mass of black clothed people, my new faction. It feels odd to think of the Dauntless that way, _my faction._ I cannot see over anyone, I am at least a whole head shorter than everyone in front of me, so I decide to look at the people around me rather than the rest of the ceremony.

I am standing next to a tall Candor boy dressed in all black, besides an under shirt that is white. It looks as though someone else knew that they were going to transfer when they woke up this morning. On the other side of him stands a Candor girl with bright red almost orange insanely curly hair that is in a ponytail at the base of her head, she is currently in the process of organizing the curly strands of the pony tail into a braid. Another Candor stands near them, but not close enough to consider that they are actually good friends, she is just standing close to them for the familiarity.

Before I can observe any more of my fellow transfers I hear the Jeanine call the last name of the ceremony, "Aarons, Jackson."

I decide to stand in the isle between the groups Dauntless and the Candor. I can just barely see him. His posture is unsteady as he accepts the knife for Jeanine. I expect him to head in the direction of the Dauntless bowl, but he doesn't. He heads in the opposite direction, he passes by Abnegation, Candor, and even Erudite. He finally cuts his palm standing in front of the Amity bowl, and gives his blood to the soil.

I am stunned.

I could have never considered in my wildest dreams that Jackson and I would not go to the same faction. We had been doing everything together for the past twelve years. I guess I just didn't notice the signs, he was never into the whole _risk your ass just to have fun_ type of freedom, he was more into _I am just doing this for a good time_ type of freedom. Mine was more Dauntless, his was more Amity. I did not even know who my best friend was deep down, and I just assumed that he would follow me anywhere.

I have no time to ponder this further though, because the Dauntless are running. Running away, to what I have no idea, but if I had to guess, we are headed for the trains, Dauntless' only mode of transportation.

I begin to run with them, it does not take me long to catch up with the back part of the group where most of the stunned transfers are. They have yet to put two and two together about where we must be headed.

I turn around to get one last glance at the Erudite that are filing out of the room lead by Jeanine. I see my parents near the front. I meet the eyes of my mother first, her expression is cold and almost frightened? Then I see my father, he has a small, but sad smile on his face, his eyes seem to give off the same scared vibe my mother did. I wonder what that is all about.

I am pushed froward by the mass of running bodies around me. As I exit the building I push to the out to the side of the crowd so that I can see what is around me. I feel light drops of rain on my face, it is just a mist but it is refreshing.

We run down the middle of the streets, all of the Dauntless are crowing with joy. People leap over some of the pot holes in the street, they are laughing and happy. They are free.

I am free.

I shout out with joy and laugh too as I increase my pace. People from inside the buildings that we pass stare at us, others on the street duck and scurry out of our way. We are Dauntless, we don't wait for anyone.

We reach the platform and I am out of breath. Normally I would be concerned about how heavy my breathing is, but there is so much adrenaline pumping through my veins that I barely notice.

I look to my left, the train is fast approaching. It will not stop, it might slow down a little but that is all. I watched blondie, purple braids, and the boy do this before. They run along side the train, grab on to a little handle on the side of the car that they wish to enter, then the simultaneously jump and hoist themselves into the train car. It looks so simple, but I doubt that it actually is.

I gasp, the train comes whizzing past my face, almost taking my nose with it. I look to my right to follow it as it goes, and I notice that everyone else has moved. I am now at the end of the line to get on the train.

I sprint along side the train. I watch as the first person a blond former Erudite, Winston Shields, hoists himself into the car. He is tall and light so it is easy for him to reach out, grab the handle and hoist himself in. The next person is the Candor with orange hair, she just jumps into the car, she hits the side of it with her shin so hard that it makes me flinch. At the same time her friend with the all black outfit hoists himself in.

It is my turn. I sprint harder than I ever have in my life and I use my speed as leverage to launch myself at the handle. I manage, by some mysterious feat, to grab on. The only problem is that I had so much momentum and the train has so much too that I hit the side of the train hard with my shoulder. It doesn't hurt, but it should knock my hand off the handle, and send me flying back into the street. That is what would have happened if they had not grabbed onto me and pulled me into the car.

I land inside the train, my back up against the wall that I was just on the outside of. I put my hands on my knees and bend over a little bit and let out a breathy, hysterical laugh. I look up to see who, exactly, _they_ are.

I see the girl with orange hair giving me a smirk. Her eyes are even more peculiar than her hair, they are such a light blue they are almost clear, they look like ice. Her skin is more pale than paper and has a slight blue tint from her veins. Up close I can see that she has freckles that are orange like her hair that dot her face and arms all over. She is about six or seven inches taller than me.

She is not attractive by any means, but there is something about her. She is hard to forget and she looks like she would fight someone. She is obviously Dauntless and she has only been here for just about as long as I have been.

Her counter part is the boy in all black who is even taller than her. He has light skin, not as pale as the girl's though, light brown hair, and dark brown-green eyes. He has a black string around his neck. Unlike her he was not smirking, he looked as though he might puke.

"I can't believe we just did that!" says the boy.

The girl responds, "Get it together Alexander. We are Dauntless now. That," she says gesturing to the open door of the train car, where currently an Amity and the other Candor girl from the ceremony are just barely crawling in, "is now the new normal."

I reach down and tug in the other candor girl with one hand and the Amity with the other. I have to step back as I help them in and I almost knock over someone, "Watch it nose!"

I don't really pay any attention. Soon Alexander has the Amity and the orange-haired girl has the other Candor.

"Thanks Nicole." Says the other Candor. She is pretty, dark colored skin, dark brown eyes, and a determined face. She will fit in well in Dauntless.

"No problem Rose, anytime." Nicole says winking.

Alexander now has his arms around the Amity girl. She is giving him a soft smile, pure Amity. Nicole notices this and says, "Sorry to burst your bubble honey, but he plays for the other team." I can't help but laugh it was an old metaphor, I am not even sure that the Amity will understand. Nicole realizes this too, she smiles at me and raises her barely visible eyebrows.

"What does she mean." The Amity says, looking quizzically at Alexander.

He sighs, and shoots Nicole a look, to which she gives him a shit eating grin, he looks kindly at the Amity and says, "She means I'm gay sweetheart."

"Oh," says the Amity, "Well, why didn't she just say that in the first place."

Nicole responds, "Where is the fun in that, anyway the nose got the joke. " she paused for a moment, then said, "What is your name nose? Or would you prefer that we refer to you as a body part used specifically for smelling?"

"Or is there any other body part you would like to be identified as, we are open to suggestions." Alexander chimes in.

I laugh, "No I do have a name, its Vivianne."

Nicole gives me a sidelong look. Rose holds in laughter and Alexander bursts into laughter. The only person who does not seem to be reacting is the Amity, she is just staring out at the city as we pass by, completely dumbfounded and oblivious to the world around her.

"What?" I say confused as to why they are all asking like that.

"That sounds like an Old Erudite Scholar name," Nicole says laughing, "not the name of the Dauntless teenager. God nose, we need to get you a nickname."

I had never truly realized how Erudite my name was until now. Nicole was right it definitely was not the name of a Dauntless.

"Well, what do you suppose I should call myself?" I ask her.

"Hmmmm." she says tapping her chin in mock concentration. She smiles and says, "How about Annie or Vivi? Or maybe we could refer to you by another body part as suggested before such as arm, or neck?"

Alexander had a look as if he was a kid on christmas, but before he could say anything Nicole said, "Jackson if you say it I will punch you so hard you will fall out of this train car, keep your mind out of the gutter."

Everyone in our small group laughed hysterically at that. Nicole was really a Dauntless, she would have no problem fitting in here.

"Hey Amity what is your name?" I asked hoping that it was some outlandish name that sounded like her parents where on something when they made it up.

"Huh." She says coming out of her daydream, "Oh, my name is Iris"

"Damnit," I said, "I was hoping it was going to be something like Sunshine or Strawberry, so then if I compared it to my name Vivianne would not sound that bad. Iris is actually a cool name."

The three Candor nodded in agreement.

Then all of a sudden the train lurches forward and all five of us are thrown from our little standing circle to the ground on the opposite side of the train.

We were all piled on top of each other, laughing our heads off. I don't think that I have genuinely laughed more in such a small period of time in my life. Dauntless was getting better and better by the minute.

But, all good things must come to an end, even feelings. I look up to see who we all landed next to. The girl is wearing dress flats, that I cannot imagine running after a train in, and navy blue dress pants that were perfectly ironed, I look up further to see that she is wearing a light blue blouse and navy blazer, my first thought is how the hell did this girl make it this far, my second thought is that I know the girl with that awful fashion sense.

I look into her blue eyes through her glasses. Cordelia Kronin.

To her left stands her personal minion, Kaleigh. To her right stands Winston, and judging by the way that he puts his arm around her waist, they are dating now. Behind her stands a huge Candor boy. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall and he is muscular, but that was where the intimidation factor ends, he has the most innocent and scared expression on his face that I deem to be genuine.

Knowing Cordelia she was probably just going to use the Candor for the intimidation factor, she was never really going to befriend him. I felt bad for him.

"Vivianne Callow, what a surprise to see you here." says Cordelia.

I am about to give her a polite but insulting comeback, but then I realize we are on a train to Dauntless Headquarters. I no longer need to be eloquent with my responses, there is no more reputation to uphold.

Well, that is wrong I need to build a new reputation among these people. So far all I have is that I have the same name as an old lady and I have a good sense of snarky humor. I need more, I need a _Dauntless_ reputation.

"Is it really Cordelia? It is more of a surprise that the girl who cried once when she chipped her manicure transferred to Dauntless." I smirk, "At least you brought your little minion and your boy toy with you."

I turn to Kaleigh, "I knew you didn't have an independent thought in your brain but I didn't know you could not make an independent decision."

Then to my surprise I hear Nicole chime in, "Actually Vivianne did you know that if a person surrenders there thought process they also surrender their decision making process."

I turn to see Nicole giving Kaleigh and Cordelia a death glare that would make anyone in their right mind flinch. Kaleigh look like she is about to shit herself, while Cordelia looks almost unfazed besides the small widening of her eyes, almost unnoticeable.

"Right, I totally forgot Nicole. Thank you for reminding me." I say, "Now if you will excuse us."

Cordelia almost looks shocked. I am too. For all the years I knew Jackson not once did he ever stand up to Cordelia with me. Sure he stood beside me, sometimes. Most of the time though it was just me versus her and Kaleigh and whatever other person she dragged along with her. Nicole was the first person to do that for me.

I turn around to see Iris, Alexander, and Rose staring them down too. For the first time in history I have more people on my side than she has on hers. I guess it is a good thing for this to finally happen in Dauntless, not a moment too soon.

"Jeez, Vivianne and Cordelia. What where Erudite parents thinking sixteen years ago, that old people names where back in style. News flash they are not!" Nicole says smiling, tying to lighten the mood.

"Her boy toy's name is Winston." I say laughing.

Nicole slams the ground with the palm of her hand and says, "That settles it, sixteen years ago every Erudite parent was on crack and thought that old people names were cute."

Then Rose says, "She is definitely a fake blond, you can tell by the roots."

All five of us burst out laughing.

* * *

 _09:03_

"Where is Dauntless Headquarters anyways. It feels like we have been on this train forever." Alexander says.

"I have no idea," I say. I see something out of the corner of my eye and I move to the edge of the train car and peek my head out of the entrance, there are black figures jumping on to a roof that is about ten feet away from the train, but we are still about seven stories up. I tun back to the group, "I think we are about the find out. They are jumping."

"You're shitting me!" says Nicole, springing up from her position on the wall of the train to get a better look, the rest of our group follows after her.

"I shit you not." I say as I gesture toward the site. It was almost our turn.

I position myself opposite the entrance to the train. If I run from here I will definitely have enough leverage to carry myself over the ledge and beyond. My new friends look at me like I am crazy, and suddenly I realize so is every other transfer in the train car.

"As you said Nicole, _this is the new normal_ , we have to jump." I say.

The first to move is Rose, "She is right guys. C'mon" She says as she grabs my right hand. The next to follow is Nicole who grabs my left. Iris and Alexander line up behind us.

"On three" I say, nodding at Rose and Nicole in turn, "One. . . Two. .-" before I can finish though Nicole yells, "Bullshit." and grabs me hard and begins to run. I hold on tighter to Rose and run with her.

All of a sudden all three of us are airborne. I can hear the wind whistling through my ears and I can also hear the shouts of joy and adrenaline of the two girls next to me.

We land on the roof and tumble through the gravel. I look up to see Iris and Alexander to my left. I get up and look around. Sadly I see that Cordelia and her crew made it, she looks smug, must have landed on her feet.

Then I hear a girl yell a name, "Bethany!" she says. I look over and I see purple braids shouting over the ledge, "Bethany! Bethany!"

Blondie appears behind her and says, "Jez," as she shakes purple braids, "Jezebel, Jezebel! Lets go, there's nothing you can do, she's gone."

Blondie tugs on purple braid's, Jezebel's, arm, pulling her away from the ledge. I remember back to the aptitude test, _Jezebel Davidson._ That makes blondie Madison Vizzini. Bethany must have been their friend, and now she is gone just like that. I guess that is how things are in Dauntless, one wrong move and you can be gone in an instant.

I take a deep breath, and face Nicole. She has a blank look on her face when she meets my eyes, she must have reached the same conclusion.

"Initiates!" I hear someone yell. I turn to see a man on the other side of the roof, he has dark skin, wrinkles on his forehead and on the sides of his eyes, and his hair is slightly gray. I recognize him, "I am Max one of the leaders of Dauntless." Max the eldest and most powerful leader of Dauntless, my mother spoke about him often, said he was respectable, but surprisingly easy for Jeanine to conform to her will. My father says it is because he is a power hungry bastard, obviously he did not think very highly of the man.

"The only way to enter Dauntless is though the members' entrance." He says gesturing to off the roof behind him.

"What's at the bottom?" Asks Winston. He is shaking. I turn back to Max, who now sports a sly smirk, "Well I guess you will just have to jump and find out." Winston gulps.

"So, which one of our intimate will do us the honor of going first?" Max says. I look around no one seems to be eager to volunteer, and their eyes seem to be anywhere but on Max's face. Even Jezebel, Madison, and Enzo don't look like they want to take the jump.

There has to be something at the bottom, if all of these members are alive they cannot just be flinging themselves off of buildings with out being caught by something. Dauntless would have no surviving members if that was the case. It would be illogical to kill off all of you new initiates.

Unless this is the ploy to weed out the stupid thrill seekers. No, Dauntless would not want to eliminate those people, they are the ones that make the faction appealing to transfers. No one really joins dauntless to become a hard-nosed soldier they do it to be free and to have fun. They need to keep the wild thrill seekers alive to maintain that ideal.

Conclusion: There is something that the bottom and I will be fine when I jump.

New Question: What is at the bottom?

Conclusion part two: There is only one way to find out.

As the old saying goes curiosity killed the cat, and someday my over curious mind may get me killed, but today it makes me brave, it makes me more aware of my surroundings than the other initiates around me. It makes me Dauntless.

"Me," I say, "I will jump."

The people in front of me split to make a wide path to the edge of the roof. Max gestures for me to go ahead.

I can feel the cold wind rush up from the darkness below, it blows my shirt flush against my body and makes my hair fly around in from of my face. I turn to look at Max beside me, all he does is raise his eyebrows as he says, "We don't have all day Initiate."

I will be fine I tell myself. There will be something at the bottom, granted I have no idea what, but I will not die.

I looked behind me one last time. Everyone else was looking at the ground, or anywhere else besides my face, except Nicole. She gave me a small half smile and a thumbs up. I smiled back at her. Then I turned around and without giving it another thought I took a leap of faith.

Literally.

I could hear the wind rush in my ears, and my stomach felt like it was going to shoot out of my body. I did not even have the time to scream before my back hit something solid and the wind was knocked out of me.

I was being catapulted back into the air, but not nearly as high as the distance that I just dropped. I let out a little startled yelp as I crashed back onto the sold surface.

But, it wasn't solid. It gives with my body weight and I can hear it grown and stretch. I reach out and I feel the familiar weaving pattern of a net. A net! I began to laugh hysterically, I am alive and safely enveloped in a net.

There a few hands that reach out to pull me up, I choose the one closest to me.

I am pulled from the net and I stumble onto a platform, I would have fallen straight off the platform and onto my face, after all that it would be just my luck to get seriously injured because I tripped over my own feet, but he reached out and caught me just in time. I was still looking over the side of the platform, just barely making out the faces of a crowd gathered below, when he spins me around to face him.

 _He_ is a tall boy, no more than a year older than I am, with olive skin, a square set jaw, full lips, light brown almost golden eyes, and jet black hair.

"Thanks," I say, "wouldn't it have been funny if after all that I ate it by tripping off the platform." I laughed and smiled. He gave me a small smile back, and he almost seemed startled that he did. While the woman with a full shaved head behind him bursts out laughing.

He collects himself and says, "What's your name?"

 _Crap. I really should have thought harder about that nickname._ I think to myself. Nicole was right, Vivianne is not a Dauntless name it is an Erudite one. I am starting to form myself a new Dauntless reputation I need a name to go with that now too.

"Viv." I say, sure of my new identity.

The woman with the shaved head turns to the boy and says, "Go ahead Asher, call it."

Asher turns to the crowd and says, "First jumper: Viv!"

The crowd below erupts in to a chorus of shouts, some are even shouting my name, _Viv! Viv! Viv!_ I can not help but smile. I turn to Asher and he gives me another small smile and says, "Welcome to Dauntless Viv."

I walk down from the platform, and once I reach the ground I hear the highest-pitched scream I think I have ever heard in my life. I turn around to see Alexander floundering around in the net. The first thing that he says when he reaches the platform is, "She pushed me, the bitch pushed me!" This causes me, as well as the crowd, to burst into laughter.

Right after that a pale orange streak falls to the net laughing hysterically. Alexander turns to Nicole and says, "I can't believe you pushed me!"

Nicole promptly replies, "Oh, suck it up loser! You know you enjoyed it."

I can feel my self smile ear to ear as I watch Asher shake his head and the woman with the shaved head almost fall off of the platform from laughing so hard.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Guess what guys I wrote another chapter, IN THE SAME WEEK! I am very proud of myself, but sadly do not get used to this, my busy schedule starts backup in about three days. But, I did write this chapter and edit it all in one day, so maybe I can write another who knows. So welcome to Dauntless! And meet my other OCs! Did you recognize a canon character or two? They will be revealed in the next chapter! I am so excited to finally be done with the _back-story-ish_ part and on to the adventure and mystery. All of your favorite Divergent characters will appear soon, and I have a few more interlude pieces coming up, so excited!

On another note I just figured out you can respond to comments, WHAT!? Sorry if you guys think I have been ghosting you or something I will totally start replying now, those comments make my day!

Also this story has broken 20k words and 700 views! Thank you guys so much for the support, this has been so much fun so far and it is just beginning.

I hope you lovelies are doing great, feel free to provide constructive criticism, read my bio, say hi, or anything else!

 **Cheers!**

 **Bridget**

 **Disclaimer:** The wonderful Veronica Roth owns all of the original characters from the series and the world! I only own my OCs!


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 5_

 _Viv's POV_

 _11:54_

We walk down a dimly lit hallway, I can barely see six inches ahead of me. I am accustomed to the brightly lit, window covered hallways of Erudite, so my eyes do not adjust quickly. It does not help that I am the shortest person in the group around me by at least four inches, even if the hallway was well lit, I doubt that I could see anything anyways.

Asher and the woman never said to follow them, they just walked away, and the dauntless borns followed, and so did the transfers. I have no idea where we are going, and I have no idea where exactly in the city we are. I have never been to the Dauntless compound. We are more than a half hour outside of the center of the city by train, and judging by the distance that I felt when I jumped through the entrance, we must be a few stories under ground.

We abruptly stop, I step on the heels of Alexander's boots accidentally. He turns around and gives me what I think a joking annoyed look, but he is so nervous that it looks almost like he wants to either hit me or puke on me.

Asher and the woman turn to face us, and he says, "We are going to split up now. Dauntless born follow Lynn, I hope that you all soaked up some information in your time here and you know how to get around this place." Lynn snickers and says, "Lets go, idiots!" in the most intimidating voice I have ever heard from a woman. Jeanine gives off an air of intelligence and power, almost as if she can end your life with one thought, but Lynn is a whole different type of intimidating. She radiates strength and respectability. She could kill me with the muscles in her pinky finger, she does not want to be messed with. I feel a deep admiration for her, bordering on envy, I want people to flinch when I say a simple sentence such as 'lets go!'

This is a new feeling, and I am not sure if it is good or not. What happened to me when I jumped off of that roof, when I was willing to risk my life just to prove that I am the bravest person here.

Asher continues to speak, "Alright transfers, my name is Asher and for the next few weeks I will be your initiation instructor here at dauntless." he scans the crowd, I his dark brown eyes look black in the dim lights of the hallway, "If you follow me I will give you a brief tour that will barely cover one fourth of the compound, but will be sufficient enough for you all to survive these first couple of weeks here." He smirks and turns on his heel.

"If I had known my instructor was going to be suck a dick, I might have just stayed in Candor," Nicole says, a little too loudly. Asher turns around.

"What was that Candor?" he asks his voice like ice.

Nicole is unfazed though, she is a hard one to intimidate, I can see her being like Lynn in the future, "Nothing." she curtly responds.

Asher is not going to let her get away with this. I understand why, he is 17 years old, he has to prove that even though he is only one year our senior, he is in charge. Initiates like Nicole need to be dealt with accordingly.

That is why I am not surprised when Asher walks toward us. The crowd parts for him, and he comes face to face with Nicole, he is about an inch away from her face. He is about two inches taller than her, but her back is as straight as a board as she looks him in the eyes. The only sign that she is remotely scared is her eyes are wider than they usually are, other than that she looks cool, calm, and collected. If that where me I would have shied away if not out of intimidation, but out of the fact that I would hate being that close to another person, especially one that I did not know well.

Asher's voice drops to dangerous, low tone, if I was not standing directly next to Nicole I might not have been able to hear what he says, "I am in charge here initiate, weather you like it or not. I hold your entire future in my hands, and I am not afraid to crush it." he says as his fist tightens.

Asher once again turns, but a little before he reaches the front of the crowd he looks over his shoulder and says, "Too bad you can't go back to Candor, I hear that they don't object to cowards," he reaches the front of the crowd, turns fully around and says a sentence that hits me right in the gut and makes even Nicole flinch a little, "Here at Dauntless we do, good luck making it here, because one day you are here, the next you are gone."

Asher turns again and continues to walk, the pack of initiates behind him, dead silent.

I begin to hear the distinct sound of rushing water. We are in an underground building, how the hell can there be a rushing river near by, that makes no sense. But, as we begin to get closer the hallway becomes lighter, and I realize that it ends, and there is just a thin bridge across, it can probably hold no more than two people across. Underneath the bridge, about 3 stories down, is a rushing river with white caps, it kicks water all the way up here when it hits one of the many jagged rocks.

Asher turns and jumps up a little so that he is sitting on the thin bar of the railing. He does not waiver or look remotely intimidated.

"This is the chasm. As you can see it is a far drop from here, and anywhere else there is one of these walkways over the chasm," he says affectional hitting the thin bar that he is sitting on.

"One jump from here can end your life," He pauses and gives a serious look for a second, "if you want to be a daredevil idiot, well think again, but if you want to jump for another reasons, I suggest you reconsider too."

Judging by the last part of the sentence, I think that many see the chasm as their only way out. It has happened before, and Asher wants to stop it from happening again.

Asher jumps down from his perch and says, "Come on," and we all follow.

He leads us down another hallway, this one slightly more lit, or I have just finally become accustomed to the lighting here. Now I can see that the walls are made out of carved stone. It looks as if the Dauntless really did pop out of a hole in the ground like my mother always used to say.

Asher makes it to a set of large heavy looking double doors. He pushes them open, I let my curiosity get the best of me, and I push to the front of the crowd.

It is the most amazing place that I have ever seen in all of my existence, it takes my breath away.

Erudite was all orderly, identical, clean hallways. Clarity promoted efficient thinking of course, there was no room for chaos in a life of academia.

But this place, it was all wonderful, uncontrolled, chaos.

People in black, one not looking anything like another, walk in all around this room that I cannot even see the other side of from where I am. Children run around playing some sort of game where one has to try and hit the others while they try to run as fast as they can. It is deafeningly loud, I only pick up parts of everyones conversations, and they are not discussing books. There are shops that line the walls and go up about five stories, each one selling something different from the last. The celling is made of some reinforced glass, I guess that is how the Dauntless can tell what time of day it is here, judging by the position of the sun I would say that it is now the afternoon.

I look down at my watch to confirm, 14:36.

"This is the Pit. The center of life in Dauntless." Asher says. I almost forgot how close I was to him, the way he says it makes it feel like he is only talking to me, I slightly blush at the thought.

He walks off to the other side of the Pit, I guess that is the signal that we are able to do the rest of the exploring for ourselves.

I turn to go and find the others, but they are all already near me.

Rose seems a little distracted though, as if she is looking for someone. Her eyes search the crowd of members, scanning. Iris on the other hand cannot stop looking up at all of the shops and places to go, she almost bumps into several people, "Watch it hippie!" one of them yells but Iris is unfazed, she has probably heard that phrase her whole life. Alexander's eyes are wide, and he is adjusting to the space, no idea where to look next. Finally I look to Nicole, who happens to be looking at me, grinning.

"So, what do you say we do first?" she asks.

I look out into the crowd, my eyes are automatically drawn to Asher. He sits down at a table across from some members, they look to all be older than him, some are older than others. They are all chatting and reaching for food in the middle of the table.

I turn to Nicole, "All of the members seem to be finding tables, they must go fast considering how many people are in the compound. I suggest that we sit before we end up being the awkward transfer initiates that have to stand for dinner later." I say.

"Yeah, we might as well start to fit in now," Alexander chimes in.

With that decided we choose a table, the only place where there is enough room for five is the other side of the long table that Asher and his friends are at. Soon, as I predicted, more members begin to sit, gravitating toward the group of members that Asher sits with.

I watch as Lynn comes in and goes to sit with the group, pushing aside a man with dark skin and a white smile. There are two empty seats at the other end of the table, why didn't she just sit there?

I am all of a sudden startled by someone snapping their fingers in my face, "Okay, I grew up in Candor and I even learned that it is not polite to stare," Nicole says tilting her head and smiling at me.

"Well, we were just taught deception at Erudite," or maybe that was just me I think as soon as I give my reply.

Nicole laughs and Rose says, "Politeness is just deception in pretty packaging anyways," she pauses, "well, that is what my mother always used to say anyway."

"Makes sense. If you are polite to a person that you detest you are deceiving them into thinking you have a pleasant relationship, when in reality you wish to stab them multiple times." I say just to sure up Rose's point.

Nicole just shakes her head, "Noses." Then she gives me an evil smirk, and before I can think about it she reaches across the table and pulls the fake glasses off of my face. In one swift motion she brings them down on the edge of the metal table, breaking them in half at the bridge.

"There, now that you don't look so much like a snobby Erudite you might stop acting like one."

Nicole smirks, and proceeds to shove a piece of hamburger in her mouth that she stabbed onto her fork a moment ago. I am about to retort when I get an odd feeling, I sense a shift in mood of the lively Dauntless in the cafeteria. Nicole is staring at something behind me, as is Alexander sitting to her left. I turn around and I see not what but _who_ made the moods of hundreds of dauntless change from jovial to somber.

If there was ever someone who was the embodiment of dejected, it was this man. He had a scraggly beard and over grown dark brown curls, his eyes were blood shot and rimmed with dark blue-purple circles, as if he had not slept in years. The look in his eyes was one of paranoia. The only evidence that this man was indeed Dauntless and not Factionless was his strong build.

I watch him as he makes his way across the pit, toward the cafeteria, toward our table. I overt eye contact and quickly turn around as he passes right behind me, I peer out of the corner of my eye to my right see Rose shaking like a leaf, and a across from her even Iris looking less cheery.

"Four!" Shouts a different dark skinned man with a white smile, definitely related to the one that Lynn pushed over earlier. He seems to smile overly bright, as if it is attempt to make the sullen man, _Four_ as I now know him, to show some semblance of emotion back. It doesn't work, Four proceeds to take a seat at the end of the table, and glare at the shiny surface.

"Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Nicole mumbles.

"Or every morning for the past ten years," Alexander adds raising his eyebrows, "That," he continues as he gestures toward Four, "is not the product of one bad morning."

"I wonder why he is called Four," says Rose looking to the group as she shrugs, "maybe it is all just harbored anger toward his parents naming him after a number." Iris laughs at this and adds, "Do you think his siblings are named one, two, and three, and he is just the forth child."

The group begins to laugh, but I look over toward him. He looks sad and angry, everyone seems to be on high alert, as if he is a ticking time bomb. Something happened to this man, and my damned Erudite curiosity wants to know what it was.

 _Stop it._ I tell myself, I am no longer in Erudite, I am Dauntless now, and something tells me that this man in not going to love questions from an overly inquisitive nose.

I turn back to the group, "It is definitely a nickname, if I had to guess it is probably the number of people he has beaten unconscious or killed, this is Dauntless it wouldn't surprise me."

Everyone goes silent, then Nicole speaks up, "Way to put a damper on things _Vivianne_ " The way that she says my real name is dipping with sarcasm. I retort, "Actually, you can call me Viv." I raise my eyebrows at her in defiance and in turn she shoots me a pleased smile.

"While we are on the topic of names," Alexander speaks up, "I have changed mine to Xander, I think it sounds way more Dauntless, what do you think?" He smiles and tilts his head waiting for an answer.

"It sounds like you are a wannabe Dauntless, seriously _Alexander._ " Nicole says rolling her clear blue eyes.

"Well at least my name can be turned into a cool nickname, you are just jealous, _Stewy_ " Alexander says.

Nicole hits him in the shoulder, "That was one time when we were eleven that I wanted to be called that, and for the record I recall that you wanted to be called Squirrel!"

"Squirrels are cool! Damn right I wanted to be named after one!" Alexander says.

Iris and I lock eyes, this conversation just went from weird to weirder in a matter of seconds. We both look to the only sane Candor, Rose, she stifles her giggles and says, "I wasn't really friends with them until that train ride a few hours a go, but of what I know Nicole's last name is Stewart hence the name Stewy, and Ale - excuse me _Xander_ is just a little strange."

"Only a little?" Questions Iris which cases the three of us to all start laughing again. As I am clutching my stomach with both of my hands, hiccuping, and trying to breathe, I realize that never in all of my life have a laughed like this. Felt free like this. Everything thought my life was so serious, and every joke I ever made was quick witted sarcasm true to Erudite. This, this feeling, this is happiness.

I look over to Rose to see if I can get her to tell me anything else about Nicole and Xander when they were little, just for the fun of it when I see that she is looking down toward the other side of the long table. The seats in the middle are quickly filling up, but I can still see the end, where Four, the two dark skinned men, Lynn, Asher, and some others sit. Now walking over is a pleasant, yet strong looking woman, who looks almost identical to Rose, the only difference being the way that her short hair is styled, the fact that she looks to be about six years older, and that she is holding a child.

"Christina," Says Rose softly at first, and she begins to rise out of her seat. Rose raises her voice, "Christina!"

Rose if fully up out of her seat, but the woman, Christina is already walking toward her, the people at both our end of the table and the other end look up and stare. A slightly familiar looking man with blond hair and green eyes is quick to follow suit, getting up out of his seat to join Christiana.

"Rose!" Christina exclaims as she rushes to embrace my newfound friend. I get the feeling that they know each other, but more than just know each other, "Guys this is my older sister Christina," Rose says interrupting my train of thought at the same time as confirming what I was thinking.

Christina gives us all a broad smile. "Hello I'm Christina," Then she gestures to the man beside her, "And this is my soon to be husband Will, and our daughter Lina."

I stare at the stalky, blond man with green eyes, Will. I know his features, but I just don't know from where. Too soon I am distracted by the sound of the sisters squealing as they hug once more.

Rose breaks out into a huge smile, I can feel my own lips slightly curling as I take in the sight, Iris gives a small wave, as does Xander, and even Nicole seems to be genuinely giving a small smile.

"So, when is the big day, and more importantly am I invited?" Asks Rose excitedly. At this Christina's smile slightly falters, she lowers her voice to a normal tone and says, "Well that is still up in the air, there have been some minor problems."

"Like what?" asks Rose, still in the old habits of Candor, she is trying to get Christina to speak her mind, she is holding something back.

Christina sighs and I follow her eyes as they automatically track toward the mysterious Four. Then she says, "My maid of honor, my best friend, she, well," Christina struggles on in for a moment then she says, "she died six months ago, it was a tragic accident."

Rose is shocked, she reaches out to embrace her older sister in support. But, I can feel that Christina is holding something back, they way she said accident made it seem as though it was anything but.

"Don't pay any attention to grumpy pants over there," Christina says as she gestures to Four, "She may have been my best friend, but she was also his wife. He lost probably the only person he ever loved and ever will love that day. He is still, how do I say this, processing it all."

"No wonder the man looks like hell in a hand basket." says Rose. She made have been trying to lighten the mood, but this provokes Will to speak , "Hey! He is a good friend of mine, I have known him for a very long time, and he deserves some respect!"

This makes Rose flinch back, as well as everyone around us go silent for a moment. Christina attempts to diffuse the situation but giving a slight laugh. "Okay Will, sweetheart, lets go sit back down. I think Shauna wants to hold Lina, she told me earlier that she misses spending time with her favorite baby." Christina then smiles at a stunned Rose over her shoulder, but as I look further down to where she is gripping Will's arm I see that she is gripping hard enough to cause small dents in his arm around her fingers.

I guide Rose back to the table, and just as I am about to say something, I hear a man clear his throat in a microphone and my eyes are instantly drawn to a man standing on a balcony above the Pit.

His face is covered in gaudy piercings, and his hair is long, black, and looks greasy in the light. He gives a small smirk, and in causes the holes of his piercings to slightly stretch. "Today is a special day here in Dauntless, a day when we welcome our newest and bravest members!" It is when I heard his voice that I realize that I know him.

It is face-piercings, the angry man from the clothing exchange. The man in charge of those strange guns.

I get a sudden twinge in my stomach as his eye gloss over the crowd, I am sure that he will recognize me, and I get the feeling that if he does my fate isn't going to be all that good.

He looks like the type of guy that would have a nickname based off of the amount of people that he has killed.

"For those of you who do not know me my name is Eric, and I am a leader here in Dauntless."

face-piercings, Eric, says. I guess he hasn't killed enough people to merit a number nickname, or maybe people just don't know what he is doing behind the scenes, with strange guns and covered vans.

Everyone in the crowd begins to clap after Eric says something about "Dauntless honor and tradition" and some congratulations to the initiates. Then his says, "Dauntless born return to the dorms, transfers follow me."

"Oh goodie!" I hear Nicole sate sarcastically

I get slapped on the back multiple times as I make the move to leave the cafeteria, it makes me more and more uncomfortable and dizzy every time a new foreign hand touches me. I have the feeling that my distaste for physical contact comes from the fact that I probably was not hugged enough as a child. My parents showed love in a different way, by preparing me for the real word and providing life skills, they were not really the touchy feely type.

I have to get the hell out of this cafeteria. Too many people, too little space, too little air, I feel as though I am suffocating. In a mild daze I am able to make my way out of the crowd, and then I feel a sudden yank on my arm. I rear my fist back on instinct to get the person off of me, but then I realize that I recognize this face, I am staring at his golden eyes when he says, "Eric is that way."

Asher lets go of my arm as quickly as he grabbed it, and he sets off down the dark hallway.

I see the group of transfers a few feet away and a head to my right to follow them. I keep track of my movements, I have a feeling that I am going to nee to know how to get back to the Pit.

Left down a hallway, take second right head down a hallway, take first right head down a hallway, then stop. When we stop I take in my surroundings, we are in front of a large door. Eric, realizing that he has all of our attention, speaks, "This is where you will be staying for the next few weeks while you complete your training."

He casts a cold glare across the group, "A few ground rules are that training starts every morning at 8 sharp, you will break at noon for lunch, and then you will resume training until 6 then you are free to do whatever you want."

Nicole elbows me in the side and winks at the concept of _do whatever you want_ I have a feeling even though I may _want_ to sleep Nicole will have other plans.

"You will be scored thought your training, and this will determine weather you are cut, or weather you make in in to Dauntless." He smirks after this statement. I feel a weight drop in my stomach. I have always known that Dauntless would be hard but I would have never guessed that one wrong move in one moment could mean not making it.

Nicole asks the question that is on everyones' mind, but no one else is brave enough to ask, "What do you mean by _scores_ and _cuts_?"

Eric's cold, dark eyes land on Nicole, but she doesn't flinch, not even when he takes a small step closer to her. He says, "Only ten initiates will make it into Dauntless this year, this includes both you and the Dauntless borns," his cold smile causes his piercings to stretch again and he flicks a lock of greasy hair out of his eyes as he continues, "In recent years leadership decided that anyone who met certain qualifications could be Dauntless, but we have recently decided to revert to the way things were six and seven years ago, when only ten made it no matter if the others were good or not. Granted even after the fifth spot regardless of how we cut the jobs you can hold become less and less desirable."

The crowd is stunned. Eric confidently props open the door and tuns on his heel. We all meander into the room struck with this new revelation. We knew Dauntless wasn't going to be a cake walk, but nobody knew that the majority of us would be Factionless by the end of this. Maybe that is why people jump in the rushing water of the chasm, for some being factionless is worse than death.

I choose a bunk on the far side of the room, and my friends choose the ones closest to me. No one feels like talking. I lay on my back and stare up at the ceiling of the dorm room. Rather than letting this news about cuts and shitty jobs crush my sprits, I use that fear and I turn it into fire, motivation. I will make it, and not only will I make it, but I will rank in the top five.

I close my eyes. Tomorrow the first day of training I will scout my competitors.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Guess what guys I'm actually alive (lol)! I know that it has been a long time, but I am officially on summer vacation (yay!), and I have no more sports, my team lost in the state championship (boo!), but the good news is that i will have more time to write and write I will! I have even started the next chapter, and it will have a different POV than Viv for the first part!

I hope you guys are enjoying my writing, even if you had to rediscover it after I have been MIA for six months (agh…so sorry please forgive me).

I hope you lovelies are doing great and happy summer (or winter in the southern hemisphere), feel free to provide constructive criticism, read my bio, say hi, or anything else!

 **Cheers!**

 **Bridget**

 **Disclaimer:** The wonderful Veronica Roth owns all of the original characters from the series and the world! I only own my OCs!


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